The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, on Thursday stressed that the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system rests on the shoulders of specialists in the sector.
Pate made the remark at the 43rd Convocation Ceremony of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Lagos, where 480 distinguished fellows were honoured. Speaking through Dr. Jimoh Salaudeen, the minister described the occasion as both a celebration of academic excellence and a reaffirmation of the college’s vital role in strengthening the nation’s healthcare delivery.
Addressing news men, Pate noted that the theme of the event — “A Pandemic, Examination and a Degree” — underscored the significance of postgraduate medical education to building a resilient system. He said the graduates now form the backbone of specialist healthcare services across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
“The Ministry, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, will deepen collaboration with NPMCN to ensure a resilient, responsive and people-centred health system,” he said, urging graduates to let their expertise and compassion serve humanity at home and abroad.
The minister lauded the fellows for their perseverance, resilience, and sacrifices, calling their success a defining milestone. He hailed NPMCN’s four decades of consistency in pursuing excellence, describing the college as the flagship of postgraduate medical education in Nigeria.
“The college has set standards, accredited institutions, and produced generations of medical specialists who continue to shape healthcare delivery nationwide,” Pate said. He also commended the foresight of its founders and leaders, whose vision, he added, has given the institution global recognition.
Highlighting the President’s four-point Renewed Hope agenda, the minister stressed that human resource development must go hand in hand with improvements in infrastructure, service delivery, research, and funding. “Without a strong and well-trained workforce, no health system can thrive. That makes NPMCN indispensable,” he said.
Pate assured the college of government’s continuous support, noting that special funding is under consideration to fast-track specialist training and stem brain drain. Other measures include access to technology funds, support for endowment initiatives, provision of simulation equipment, capacity building, expanded residency training, and nationwide extension of the college’s activities.
He congratulated the newly inducted fellows, including Dr. Sebastian Nduleogosu, Dr. Dili Ndogo, Dr. Chukwuemeka Anolue, Dr. Fatou Abiola, and Ruth Mudadi, describing their achievements as a testament to resilience and commitment to service.
Earlier, the College President, Dr. Peter Ebeigbe, confirmed that 480 individuals were being recognised across various categories: 405 with specialty and subspecialty fellowships in 15 faculties, 34 with the Doctor of Medicine, two each with Postgraduate Diplomas in Anaesthesia and Public Health, and 37 with Diplomas in Family Medicine.
He noted that the college has conferred Distinguished Fellowships on 63 fellows, fellowships on 9,151, and Honorary Fellowships on 35 individuals since inception. Fellowship awards, he recalled, peaked in 2019 and 2020 with 450 and 459 graduates, before dipping to 310 in 2021. Outputs rose again to 407 in 2023 and 338 in 2024, reflecting steady fluctuations in recent years.
Ebeigbe added that the college continues to value its strong ties with sister postgraduate medical colleges across Africa and beyond.