The decision to decentralise the only National College of Aviation Technology, located in Zaria, Northern Nigeria, among all geopolitical regions did not come as a shock or surprise, considering who is in power as president and the person in charge of the ministry under which the NCAT operates. However, we have accepted the development in good faith. By extension, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria should also be decentralised for fairness and improved accessibility.
Taking the North West as an example, the region boasts some of the best medical consultants and professors in various fields of medicine. In urology, for instance, the very best in the whole of Nigeria is Professor Sani Usman Alhassan, who frequently travels both locally and internationally to perform kidney transplants. In gynaecology, the region is home to outstanding experts such as Professor Hadiza Shehu Galadanci and Professor Idris Abubakar. The region also has some of the best cardiologists, including Professor Mahmud Sani Babura, Professor Sani Mijinyawa, and Dr Kana.
In radiology, notable figures include Professors Abba Suwaid and Anas, who have made significant contributions to the field. Similarly, in psychiatry, the region is proud to have experts like Professor Aminu Taura and Dr Mustapha Gudaji, who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and research.
When it comes to laboratory medicine, the North West is equally outstanding. In Chemical Pathology, Professor Idris Muhammad, Professor Isah Yahaya, Dr Zainab Uba, and Dr Kabiru AbdulSalam are highly regarded experts. In haematology, Professors Sagir Gumel and A’isha Kuliya are prominent figures, alongside other notable names such as Ibrahim Musa and Aminu Abba, both young consultants who have made remarkable achievements. In histopathology, Professor Aminu Zakari is another prominent figure.
Given the wealth of expertise and resources in the region, it is unreasonable for medical doctors undergoing residency training in the North West to travel to Ibadan or Lagos for national postgraduate medical examinations. Institutions like Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Bayero University Kano, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital are centers of medical excellence and can serve as examination hubs for the National Postgraduate Medical College.
To address this imbalance, politicians, medical practitioners, and stakeholders must collaborate to advocate for the decentralisation of the National Postgraduate Medical College. This initiative will not only reduce the burden on doctors but also promote equity and the development of medical education across all regions of the country.
Decentralising the National Postgraduate Medical College is a step toward creating a more inclusive and accessible healthcare system, ensuring that every region can contribute effectively to the advancement of medical practice in Nigeria.
Habib Marmara is a certified librarian based in Kano