The 10th Annual Health Week Symposium, organised by the University of Lagos Nursing Students’ Association (NUNSA) at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), has triggered renewed calls for national unity, leadership accountability, and structural reforms in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Themed “Mentes fortes, Ductus fortes: Strong Minds, Strong Leaders – Passing the Torch to a New Era,” the symposium drew healthcare students, professionals, and policymakers to reimagine the future of nursing and healthcare in Nigeria.
Delivering the keynote address, Mrs. Olusola Aketi, Director of Nursing Services for Lagos State, emphasised the importance of unity within the nursing profession. She urged nurses across specialities to avoid division and work collaboratively for better outcomes. “Whether in anaesthetics, emergency, or perioperative nursing, we must operate as one. Unity is our strength,” she said.
Mrs. Aketi highlighted key challenges, including internal disunity, poor remuneration, and a lack of professional recognition, which she noted have contributed to attrition in the sector. She advocated for improved policies, including task-shifting and accurate documentation practices, to enhance efficiency and care delivery. “Documentation is not just a routine; it is essential for data-driven care,” she added.
She also addressed concerns about regulation and ethics, warning against professional misconduct and highlighting recent enforcement actions, including the shutdown of an unaccredited nursing college and ongoing prosecutions of individuals impersonating nurses. “Nursing is a regulated profession. Any infraction—whether it is negligence or operating beyond scope—will attract disciplinary actions,” Aketi warned. Dr Pamela Ajayi, Chairman of Bridge Clinic and former President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, also spoke at the event. She called for broad reforms in health policy and governance, including the establishment of a national regulatory body to enforce healthcare standards nationwide.
“There must be a central body to uphold standards. Any hospital not meeting basic requirements should not be operating,” Dr Ajayi said. She emphasised the need for harmonised salaries, benefits, and work environments across both public and private health institutions, saying that a lack of standardisation continues to drive many professionals abroad.
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