The Oyo State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association [NMA], on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to redefine healthcare leadership in Nigeria as part of efforts to tackle brain drain, poor funding, weak infrastructure and other challenges confronting the health sector.

The association made the call at its 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference held in Ibadan with the theme: “Redefining Healthcare Leadership in Nigeria: Innovation, Accountability and Sustainable Development.”

Delivering the keynote address, the Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State , Dr. Titilayo Ibiyemi said Nigeria’s healthcare system could no longer operate with a “business-as-usual” approach, stressing that transformational leadership was needed to improve service delivery and rebuild public confidence.

According to Ibiyemi, healthcare leaders must move beyond routine administration to embrace innovation, accountability, strategic planning and collaboration to strengthen the country’s health system.

Ibiyemi identified brain drain, inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, weak accountability and overdependence on donor support as major challenges undermining healthcare delivery.

She noted that more than 16,000 Nigerian doctors left the country between 2017 and 2023, adding that only about 20 per cent of the nation’s nearly 30,000 primary healthcare centres are fully functional, despite PHCs accounting for about 75 per cent of health institutions nationwide.

The medical expert also noted that Nigeria spends only about 3.86 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product on healthcare, far below the 15 per cent target in the Abuja Declaration. She added that about 76 per cent of health expenditure is still paid out-of-pocket by citizens.

“Leadership in healthcare must be intentional, innovative and accountable. Leaders must inspire change, strengthen institutions, embrace technology and ensure efficient management of available resources to improve patient outcomes,” she said.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Oyewusi Gureje, said doctors occupy strategic leadership positions within Nigeria’s healthcare system and must continually acquire the competencies required to drive reforms.

Gureje urged participants to engage actively in discussions and build professional collaborations to improve healthcare delivery.

Speaking with journalists after the event, Oyo State Chairman of the NMA, Dr. Happy Adedapo, said the conference was convened in response to current realities in the health sector.

Adedapo said the association would forward a communique containing recommendations to relevant government authorities and called for stronger collaboration among governments, employers, development partners and healthcare professionals.

The NMA state boss acknowledged the government’s progress in improving doctors’ welfare through professional allowances for federal health workers and increased support for some state-owned institutions.

However, he said more needed to be done to stem the migration of medical professionals.

“The japa syndrome remains one of the biggest challenges facing the health sector. Government must identify the factors pushing doctors out of the country and address them. Nigeria cannot continue training doctors for export while our hospitals face severe manpower shortages,” he said.

He added that improving remuneration, working conditions, infrastructure, security and career development opportunities would help retain healthcare professionals.

Participants including former NMA Chairman in the state, Dr. Damilola Louis; President of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Oyo State Chapter, Dr. Shakirat Olanlege; and Dr.Temitope Ilori, among others, called for a review of the medical curriculum to include administrative and entrepreneurial courses.