From Prof. Philip Mshelbwala came the disclosure that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and neighbouring Nasarawa State have 15 paediatric surgeons for a combined population of approximately 4.3 million.
Mshelbwala, in a welcome address at the 24th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria (APSON) holding on Thursday in Abuja, disclosed that over 2.2 million of the aforementioned population are children.
Mshelbwala, who is the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the event, maintained that the dearth of paediatric surgeons in both the FCT and Nasarawa is a sobering reality of the situation across the country and falls below World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.
Stressing the need for urgent action to address the challenge, he expressed optimism that over the coming days, the rich exchange of scientific information, innovative surgical techniques, and invaluable clinical experiences will enhance the collective expertise of participants drawn from across the country to ultimately improve outcomes for children in the country.
“This congress represents more than just a professional meeting; it is a beacon of hope for the future of paediatric surgery in Nigeria. The induction of new paediatric surgeons into our fold during the conference is a testament to this,” the University of Abuja don noted.
“As we embark on this scientific journey together, I am confident that our deliberations will project the image of a robust and vibrant association, one that stands ready to tackle the challenges facing paediatric surgery in Nigeria while fostering innovation and excellence.”
The FCT Minister, Hon. Nyesom Wike, who declared the conference open, acknowledged that challenges such as limited infrastructure, inadequate manpower, rising cost of care, and migration of skilled professionals confront the healthcare sector daily.
Represented by the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure, he reaffirmed the commitment of the FCT Administration to work closely with professional bodies like APSON in advancing paediatric surgical care.
The Minister assured that the FCT Administration is keen on expanding access to quality healthcare, improving referral systems, and ensuring that children in both urban and rural areas can benefit from timely and effective surgical interventions.
The Minister further commended APSON for its continued dedication to training, research, and mentorship, adding that the future of medicine in Nigeria rests heavily on how well they prepare the next generation of doctors and surgeons.
She noted: “As a family physician, I must also emphasize the importance of preventive care. While paediatric surgery addresses life-threatening conditions, prevention and early detection remain vital. Stronger linkages between paediatric surgeons, family physicians, general practitioners, community physicians, and other public health experts can significantly reduce late presentations and improve surgical outcomes for children.”
Dr. Paul Manya Dogo, in a keynote address titled “Sustained Advocacy for Prioritizing Surgery in National Health Plan: The Path to Improving Outcomes for the Child,” reinforced the appalling situation in the healthcare sector, stating that Nigeria has only 23.3 doctors per 100,000 as against 100 per 100,000 as recommended in the WHO guideline.
He added that there is limited healthcare infrastructure with poor maintenance culture, noting that 50 percent of X-ray equipment in government hospitals are not working.
He remarked that these constraints will no doubt have a direct negative impact on the provision of safe surgery, adding: “The question is, what does it take to provide safe surgery for the child in this kind of prevailing work environment that, incidentally, sees so many children with surgical problems? It will certainly be different from what safe surgery for the child would be in the teaching and specialist hospitals; there would be common denominators, no doubt.”
He canvassed the inclusion of surgery for the child as a priority in the National Health Sector Strategic Blueprint (HSSB).
Dogo, who served as Commissioner of Health in Kaduna State and in other key positions in the healthcare sector, explained that this will ensure the domestication of the plan at subnational levels and the provision of domestic funding for its implementation.
He further charged participants to sustain the advocacy to development partners and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), and cascade it to the subnational level using the Nigeria Governors’ Forum as a platform, aside from organising national policy dialogue on prioritising children’s surgery within Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) frameworks.
He added: “The time to act is now! Constitute an advocacy team to include friends of APSON that have influence to champion the tackling of the major problem limiting the development of paediatric surgery in Nigeria.”
