Africa’s medical schools have called for a shift to competence-based training to address the continent’s widening health workforce gap, alongside stronger retention policies to curb the migration of skilled professionals.

The call was made at the 2026 Medical Education Conference of the Association of Medical Schools in Africa (AMSA), held in Lagos, where stakeholders advocated for coordinated reforms, expanded training capacity, and improved working conditions to strengthen healthcare systems across the continent.

Organised in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the conference was hosted by the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, and Lagos State University. It aimed to deepen collaboration and drive reforms in medical education.

The President of AMSA and Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Temidayo Ogundiran, described the gathering as a defining moment for the association, which was conceived in Ibadan in 1961 and inaugurated in Kampala in 1963 to promote collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capacity building among African medical schools.

He noted that the conference marked a milestone in AMSA’s revival, which began in 2008 following the Sub-Saharan Africa Medical Schools Survey and was strengthened through partnerships with global institutions, including the WHO and the World Federation for Medical Education.

According to Ogundiran, Africa continues to face a stark imbalance between its disease burden and available workforce, accounting for only about three per cent of the global health workforce despite carrying a significant share of global disease. He added that the continent could face a shortfall of about 6.1 million health workers by 2030.

Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, commended AMSA’s longstanding role in advancing medical education and emphasised the need to align training with service delivery. He highlighted government efforts to expand training capacity, strengthen accreditation systems, and invest in infrastructure across medical and allied health institutions.

Alausa stressed the need to move beyond certification to competence-based training, noting that healthcare professionals must be equipped to deliver safe, ethical, and high-quality care. He also underscored the importance of retention through better working conditions, improved research environments, and competitive incentives.

Co-chair of the local organising committee, Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade, said AMSA was established to harmonise medical education across Africa and foster collaboration among institutions. He noted that the association now spans Anglophone and Francophone countries, with participation from delegates across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Fasanmade added that the hybrid format of the conference ensured inclusive participation amid global disruptions, while sessions focused on education reform, mentorship, workforce retention, and strategies to manage brain drain, including leverag ing diaspora expertise for long- term gains.