Healthcare professionals, Islamic scholars, and policymakers have urged for urgent reforms to Nigeria’s healthcare system that acknowledge and accommodate the religious and cultural requirements of patients, particularly those from the Muslim community.
The appeal emerged during the 2025 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria’s Ogun State chapter, which convened in Abeokuta. The gathering focused on training Muslim healthcare professionals whilst addressing barriers to effective service delivery.
The conference explored themes of breaking barriers and building bridges in the training of Muslim medical practitioners, alongside discussions on burnout, compassionate practice, and the wellbeing of Muslim healthcare workers. Key stakeholders emphasised the pressing need for a more inclusive and compassionate healthcare system that recognises patients’ faith-based concerns whilst eliminating stigma and fostering collaboration amongst professionals.
Professor Ibrahim Uthman from the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Ibadan, who delivered the keynote address, characterised the healthcare needs of the Muslim community as complex and multifaceted. He stressed that effective solutions must incorporate educational and intellectual initiatives that honour Islamic sensitivities.
The academic identified several obstacles facing Muslims in obtaining adequate healthcare, including Islamophobia, pervasive stigma, insufficient faith-sensitive training amongst healthcare providers, and a shortage of Muslim medical professionals. He advocated for a holistic approach to healthcare education and practice that balances modern medical technologies with cultural competence and religious understanding.
Professor Uthman argued that addressing the healthcare needs of Muslims requires building bridges between healthcare institutions and Muslim communities. He suggested this should include partnerships with mosques, faith-based organisations, and scholars, as well as inter-professional collaboration amongst healthcare workers.
The professor emphasised that faith-sensitive training for healthcare workers is essential to improve service delivery and build trust amongst patients from diverse religious backgrounds. He stated that patient-centred care must encompass respect for religious values, dietary restrictions, privacy concerns, and gender-sensitive treatments.
Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Tunji Isola, who also spoke at the event, challenged the popular discourse surrounding medical tourism, describing it as a politicised and misunderstood concept. He contended that seeking healthcare abroad does not necessarily constitute an abuse of privilege, especially when local facilities lack necessary technology or expertise.
The former diplomat, who also served as Minister of Mines and Steel Development, recalled that Nigeria once attracted medical tourists from countries such as Saudi Arabia who received treatment at the University College Hospital in Ibadan. He questioned whether such instances were labelled as medical tourism, suggesting that people have politicised the term.
Mr Isola maintained that individuals who can afford overseas medical care should not be vilified, though he urged government officials to prioritise investment in Nigeria’s health infrastructure to reduce dependency on foreign treatment. He argued that what is commonly termed medical tourism is virtually a political construct and non-existent in a real sense.
The former minister stated that if individuals need treatment unavailable locally and can afford to travel, this represents seeking survival rather than medical tourism. However, he emphasised that public officials have a duty to improve the healthcare system to reduce such necessity.
Dr Ibrahim Opeewe, Ogun State Chairman and Amir of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria, explained that the annual general meeting focused on improving both professional development and welfare of members. He disclosed that the association conducts free medical outreaches, including eye and dental screenings, provision of free glasses, and medication for residents.
Dr Opeewe reiterated the association’s commitment to partnering with individuals, institutions, and communities to bridge gaps in healthcare access, particularly for underserved populations. The organisation’s community engagement activities demonstrate efforts to address healthcare disparities whilst maintaining sensitivity to religious and cultural considerations.
The conference brought together medical professionals, faith leaders, academics, and community stakeholders who reached consensus that addressing Nigeria’s healthcare challenges requires a culturally competent, inclusive, and well-equipped system that respects the diverse values of its citizens.
Participants discussed the importance of training healthcare providers to understand and accommodate religious practices that may affect medical care delivery. This includes awareness of prayer times, dietary requirements during hospitalisation, modesty concerns that may affect treatment protocols, and preferences regarding gender of healthcare providers for certain procedures.
The gathering highlighted how lack of cultural competence in healthcare settings can create barriers to care, leading some patients to delay or avoid seeking medical attention when religious or cultural considerations are not accommodated. Such delays can result in more serious health complications and poorer outcomes for affected individuals.
Healthcare professionals at the conference acknowledged that whilst medical training traditionally focuses on clinical knowledge and technical skills, there has been insufficient emphasis on cultural competence and understanding of how religious beliefs and practices intersect with healthcare delivery. They called for curriculum reforms to address these gaps.
The discussions emphasised that faith-sensitive healthcare does not mean compromising medical standards or evidence-based practice, but rather delivering care in ways that respect patients’ religious and cultural identities whilst maintaining clinical excellence. This approach can improve patient satisfaction, treatment adherence, and health outcomes.
Participants noted that Nigeria’s religious diversity, with substantial Muslim and Christian populations alongside practitioners of traditional religions, makes cultural competence particularly important for healthcare providers. Understanding and respecting this diversity can enhance the therapeutic relationship between patients and healthcare workers.
The conference also addressed the phenomenon of burnout amongst healthcare workers, recognising that compassionate practice requires attention to the wellbeing of medical professionals themselves. Speakers discussed how faith and spirituality can serve as resources for healthcare workers managing the stresses of their profession.
The Islamic Medical Association’s initiative reflects broader conversations occurring globally about the need for healthcare systems to adapt to increasingly diverse patient populations. Many countries have developed frameworks for culturally and religiously sensitive care that Nigeria might adapt to its own context.
Implementation of faith-sensitive healthcare policies would require training programmes for existing healthcare workers, modifications to medical and nursing curricula, development of institutional policies that accommodate religious practices, and creation of feedback mechanisms that allow patients to voice concerns about cultural or religious insensitivity.
The conference participants expressed optimism that through collaborative efforts involving healthcare institutions, faith communities, policymakers, and civil society, Nigeria can develop a more inclusive healthcare system that serves all citizens effectively whilst respecting their diverse religious and cultural identities.
As the gathering concluded, stakeholders committed to continuing dialogue and collaboration aimed at translating the discussions into concrete policy recommendations and practical reforms that would make Nigeria’s healthcare system more responsive to the needs of its religiously and culturally diverse population.
