Nigeria’s Insecurity Worries Society Of Family Physicians

The Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) expressed concern over the increasing cases of insecurity in some parts of Nigeria over the weekend.

According to the group, attacks on facilities and kidnapping of health workers “are placing unbearable pressure on both medical practitioners and the patients”.

The medical group stated this in a communique at the end of its 28th Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGSM) held in Abuja. The communiqué, dated November 30, 2025, was signed by its President, Dr Blessing Chukwukelu, and Secretary, Dr Ahmed Jatau Loh.

SOFPON charged the federal government to pay more attention towards safeguarding every part of the country to ensure access to quality health services for Nigerians, especially those in rural areas.

Part of the communique reads, “The society urges the federal government to pay more attention to the security challenges to give an enabling environment for family physicians and healthcare workers to discharge their responsibilities without fears or intimidation.”

The group also lamented what it called Nigeria’s “escalating economic hardship with the deteriorating state of the healthcare system.”

It said, “To bridge the health policies and governance gaps in primary health care, family physicians should be engaged, integrated, and appointed to implement the approved health policies between all levels of healthcare systems.

“It is non-negotiable to sacrifice therapeutic standards for financial gains in the current dispensation to survive economic adversities. As a result, financial resilience has become a crucial skill for contemporary family practice in Nigeria.”

SOFPON also expressed displeasure over the non-proactive attention being given by the government across the states of the federation, “over severe brain drain of medical professionals due to poor working conditions”.

It therefore resolved to strengthen national advocacy for equitable remuneration, safety regulations, and improved financing of primary healthcare under the National Health Insurance framework.

“Physicians in Nigeria are facing increasing but unique mental health issues due to their profession, including high rates of depression, anxiety, and burnout from demanding work hours, stress, and exposure to trauma amidst the financial constraints.

“SOFPON observed the underutilization of family physicians in primary health care and in policy matters by governments due to poor integration into the healthcare system, lack of recognition, inadequate infrastructure and resources, poor organisational infrastructure with the haphazard deployment making FPs fill generic human resource gaps rather than leading PHC teams,” it added.

SOFPON, therefore, resolved to strengthen partnerships between public and private sectors, hospitals and HMOs, and practitioners and innovators in technology and finance.

It also resolved to make their practices value-oriented in terms of cost-effectiveness and good health outcomes comparatively, as well as to establish an institutionalised physician wellness programme within hospital systems and private practices, promoting mental health screening, rest periods, and crisis-response mechanisms.

It promised to promote innovations in service delivery, including telemedicine, digital health documentation, and group practice networks, and to support early-career physicians through mentorship, leadership development, and financial literacy training, including personal financial strategies for survival, especially during economic hardships.

It further resolved to invest in research and data-driven practice to improve decision-making and inform policy reform.

The chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the Local Organising Committee of the annual general meeting, Dr Isaac Akerele, told our correspondent that the theme of the conference was “Navigating economic survival and health security in Nigeria Family Practice”, with Dr Frank Odafen, Managing Director, Bio Royal Hospital, Abuja, delivering the keynote address.