Sodiq Ojuroungbe
Healthcare professionals, Islamic scholars, and policymakers have called for urgent reforms in the country’s healthcare system that are sensitive to the religious and cultural needs of patients, particularly those within the Muslim community.
The call was made during the 2025 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, held in Abeokuta.
The conference’s theme was “The Training of Muslim Healthcare Professionals: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges”, and its sub-theme was “Healing the Healers: Burnout, Compassionate Practice and the Muslim Healthcare Workers”.
Key stakeholders at the event highlighted the urgent need for a more inclusive and compassionate healthcare system that acknowledges patients’ faith-based concerns, eliminates stigma, and fosters inter-professional collaboration.
Delivering the keynote address, a professor from the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Ibadan, Ibrahim Uthman, described the Muslim community’s healthcare needs as complex and multifaceted.
He emphasised that effective solutions must involve “educational and intellectual initiatives that honour Islamic sensitivities”.
The don identified several challenges facing Muslims in accessing adequate healthcare, including Islamophobia, pervasive stigma, lack of faith-sensitive training among healthcare providers, and the shortage of Muslim medical professionals.
Uthman called for a holistic approach to healthcare education and practice that balances modern medical technologies with cultural competence and religious understanding.
“Solving the healthcare needs of Muslims calls for building bridges between healthcare institutions and Muslim communities. This includes partnerships with mosques, faith-based organisations, and scholars, as well as inter-professional collaboration among healthcare workers,” he said.
The professor stressed that faith-sensitive training for healthcare workers is essential to improve service delivery and build trust among patients from diverse religious backgrounds.
According to him, patient-centred care must include respect for religious values, dietary restrictions, privacy concerns, and gender-sensitive treatments.
Also speaking at the event, Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Tunji Isola, took a swipe at the popular discourse around medical tourism, describing it as a politicised and misunderstood concept.
He argued that seeking healthcare abroad is not necessarily an abuse of privilege, especially when local facilities lack the necessary technology or expertise.
“In those days, we had people coming from Saudi Arabia to receive treatment at the University College Hospital in Ibadan. Do we call that medical tourism? People have politicised the term,” he said.
Isola, who also served as Minister of Mines and Steel Development, maintained that individuals who can afford overseas medical care should not be vilified but urged government officials to prioritise investment in Nigeria’s health infrastructure to reduce dependency on foreign treatment.
“What you call medical tourism is virtually a political term and non-existent in a real sense. If you need treatment that cannot be accessed locally and you can afford to travel, that is not medical tourism; it’s seeking survival. But public officials have a duty to fix the system,” he added.
Earlier, the Ogun State Chairman and Amir of IMAN, Dr Ibrahim Opeewe, said the focus of the AGM was to improve both the professional development and welfare of members.
He said the association conducted free medical outreaches, including eye and dental screenings, free glasses, and medication for residents.
Opeewe reiterated the association’s commitment to partnering with individuals, institutions, and communities to bridge gaps in healthcare access, especially for underserved populations.
The conference brought together medical professionals, faith leaders, academics, and community stakeholders who all agreed that addressing Nigeria’s healthcare challenges requires a culturally competent, inclusive, and well-equipped system that respects the diverse values of its citizens.
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