Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate has insisted that the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system depends on specialists in the sector.
Pate made the remark at the 43rd convocation of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, NPMCN, in Lagos, where 480 distinguished fellows were celebrated.
The minister, represented by the Director of Hospital Services in the ministry, Dr Jimoh Salaudeen, described the event as a celebration of academic excellence and a reaffirmation of NPMCN’s crucial role in national healthcare delivery.
The convocation, with the theme: ‘A Pandemic, Examination and a Degree,’ highlighted the importance of postgraduate medical education in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
He said the graduates formed the backbone of specialist healthcare services across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
According to the minister, “The ministry, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, will strengthen collaboration with NPMCN to ensure a resilient, responsive and people-centred health system.”
He urged graduates to let their expertise and compassion serve humanity within and beyond Nigeria’s shores.
Pate said the occasion represents years of sacrifice, diligence and perseverance, adding that resilience and focus had brought the fellows to this defining moment.
He praised NPMCN for over four decades of consistency in pursuing excellence, calling it the flagship of postgraduate medical education in Nigeria.
“The college has set standards, accredited training institutions and produced generations of medical specialists who continue to shape healthcare delivery nationwide,” he said.
Pate commended the foresight of NPMCN’s founders and leaders, noting that their dedication had elevated the college to global recognition.
He outlined the four-point agenda of the president’s Renewed Hope plan, stressing the need to strengthen human resources in healthcare alongside infrastructure, service delivery, research and funding.
The minister pledged continuous engagement with the college, while acknowledging its challenges.
Earlier, President of the college, Dr Peter Ebeigbe confirmed that 480 individuals received awards in various categories.
He said 405 would receive specialty and subspecialty fellowships across 15 faculties, while 34 were to be awarded the Doctor of Medicine.
Two each would earn Postgraduate Diplomas in Anaesthesia and Public Health, while 37 would obtain Diplomas in Family Medicine.
He noted that the college had conferred Distinguished Fellowships on 63 fellows, fellowships on 9,151 and Honorary Fellowships on 35 individuals.
Ebeigbe said fellowship awards peaked in 2019 and 2020 with 450 and 459 graduates, before falling to 310 in 2021.
He added that output stood at 407 in 2023 and 338 in 2024, reflecting steady fluctuation in recent years.
The college, he said, remains grateful for strong ties with sister postgraduate medical colleges in Africa and beyond.
