Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Medical Association has called on doctors across the country to take a decisive lead in the fight against quackery and unethical practices in the health sector, stressing that the battle to protect patients must begin with the medical profession itself upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. The NMA President, Professor Afekhide Omoti, made the declaration on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in Abuja at the association's First Ordinary National Executive Council meeting of the new National Officers' Committee for 2026, a gathering that brought together medical practitioners, senior members of the profession, government officials and other key stakeholders under the theme, "Transforming Healthcare Practice in Nigeria: Building Trust, Accountability and Collaborative Excellence."
The meeting comes at a critical juncture for Nigeria's healthcare system, which is grappling with persistent challenges including the activities of unqualified practitioners, unethical conduct, poor regulation, severe workforce shortages, the mass migration of health professionals and a worrying decline in public confidence in healthcare institutions. Addressing the gathering, Professor Omoti acknowledged that quackery and professional misconduct remain major threats to patient safety and the credibility of the health system, but he insisted that doctors must look inward before they can effectively confront external enemies. "The fight against quackery must remain a major priority. But while we fight external threats, we must also uphold the highest ethical standards within our own profession," Omoti declared.
The NMA president painted a stark picture of a healthcare system at a crossroads, citing rapid technological advancement, changing patterns of disease, increasing patient expectations, shortages of healthcare workers, the migration of professionals and growing concerns about patient safety as additional pressures on the sector. He argued that rebuilding public confidence would require more than just confronting quackery, stressing that trust, accountability, professional excellence and collaboration were essential ingredients for meaningful reform. "The solution cannot be found in blaming one profession or another. It lies in trust, accountability, professional excellence and collaboration," Omoti said.
In a direct challenge to the medical community, Omoti called for an end to the destructive rivalry among healthcare professionals, arguing that modern healthcare had become too complex for any single profession to provide comprehensive care alone. He said task sharing, task shifting and expanded roles must be based on evidence, appropriate training, regulation, supervision and clearly defined professional boundaries. "We must move away from professional rivalry and towards collaborative excellence, while preserving the standards, competencies and accountability required for safe healthcare delivery," he stated.
The NMA president also turned the spotlight on the association itself, challenging its leadership to practise the accountability it demands from others. He insisted that the association's internal processes must reflect transparency and credibility, and that its leadership must be guided by the constitution and the collective interest of its members. "Our leadership must be transparent. Our processes must be credible. Our elections must be free and fair. Our finances must be responsibly managed. Our decisions must be guided by the Constitution and the collective interest," Omoti declared, adding that members must feel a sense of ownership of the association.
In a conciliatory message following the association's recent elections, Omoti urged doctors to put past disagreements behind them and focus on rebuilding the profession. "The elections are over. The campaigns are over. The disagreements must now give way to collaboration," he said. He warned against allowing differences of opinion to weaken the institution, and painted a vision of an NMA where young doctors have hope, resident doctors have dignity, consultants have professional fulfilment, retired doctors are respected, and every doctor knows that the NMA will stand with them when it matters most.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr. Emeka Ayogu, underscored the importance of professional standards and teamwork, describing them as critical to patient safety, public trust and professional integrity. "Standards define how we should practise, and teamwork defines how we practise together to deliver the outcomes we all want," Ayogu said, adding that both areas were interconnected and had profound implications for the health and wellbeing of Nigerians. The Chairman of the NMA Federal Capital Territory, Dr. George Ebong, described the association as more than a professional body, saying its members were united by service, sacrifice and commitment to humanity, and pledged the support of the FCT branch to the Omoti-led national leadership in advancing doctors' welfare and professional excellence.
The National Executive Council meeting also provided an opportunity for the association to deliberate on the welfare of doctors, professional development, healthcare policy and the future direction of medical practice in Nigeria. The NMA's renewed emphasis on ethics comes against the backdrop of longstanding concerns about quackery in the Nigerian health sector, where unqualified individuals and improperly trained practitioners expose patients to unsafe treatment and undermine confidence in legitimate healthcare professionals. The association has stressed that while stronger regulation and enforcement are necessary to tackle quackery, medical professionals must also uphold ethical standards, accountability and patient-centred care within the formal healthcare system. For the NMA, the message is clear: the fight against quackery must be won from within.
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