Doctors' association warns burnout is harming physicians in Enugu and Abuja
- NMA chapters in Enugu and the FCT used Physicians' Week to warn that doctors are neglecting their own health.
- Enugu chair Dr Ortuanya Emeka said long hours and emotional strain are wearing doctors down.
- FCT chair Dr George Ebong urged doctors to rest, eat well and take regular medical tests.
Doctors in Enugu and Abuja have used this year's Physicians' Week to raise a warning about their own health, saying the people who care for patients are often too stretched to care for themselves.
In Enugu, the state chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Ortuanya Emeka, told a press briefing that doctors work long shifts, handle emergencies and carry the emotional weight of patients' suffering, often in difficult conditions.
He said the problem is that doctors give so much to the job that their own lives suffer. The theme of the 2026 celebration, he explained, was chosen to draw attention to burnout, heart disease and early death among medical practitioners.
Ortuanya said a tired workforce cannot keep delivering good care forever, and asked Governor Peter Mbah, through the Health Commissioner, Prof. George Ugwu, to push for safer working conditions.
Safety in hospitals
The Enugu chairman also spoke against violence directed at health workers. Threats, harassment and physical attacks on doctors, he said, are unacceptable, and hospitals should be safe for both patients and staff.
He listed the issues the association wants addressed: pay, promotion, safety at work, training and the supply of essential resources. He also said the future of medicine depends on a healthy, motivated workforce, supportive government policies, good healthcare infrastructure, quality medical education and responsible use of modern technology.
In Abuja, the FCT chairman of the NMA, Dr George Ebong, had a direct message for doctors: rest, sleep well, eat properly and go for regular medical checks.
He spoke on Tuesday during the FCT chapter's own Physicians' Week event, saying doctors must be physically and mentally fit before they can serve Nigerians well.
Ebong also asked the federal and state governments to do more for doctors, calling for more hands on deck, better pay and programmes that help doctors sharpen their skills.
The senator representing Ondo South, Dr Adebayo Faduyile, who was guest speaker at the Abuja event, encouraged doctors to keep up their efforts to save lives.
What happens next
The Enugu chapter said it would keep engaging the authorities on pay, career growth, workplace safety, training and the availability of essential resources.
For ordinary Nigerians, the warning matters because overworked, unsafe and underpaid doctors affect how quickly and how well patients are treated in public hospitals.
