Prof. Isaac Adewole Elected President of Nigerian Academy of Medicine

Former Health Minister Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole has been elected President of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine (NAMed) during the Academy’s Annual Lecture, Induction Ceremony, and Scientific Conference held at Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja, from September 9 to 10, 2025. He succeeds Emeritus Professor Samuel C. Ohaegbulam, whose tenure has ended. Prof. Adewole, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and once Nigeria’s Minister of Health, promised to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor to advance the Academy’s mission.

The conference theme, “Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases,” addressed the rising disease burden in Nigeria, with a keynote lecture on Lassa Fever detection and response delivered by Prof. John Idoko. Twenty new fellows, comprising eminent physicians, professors, and medical scientists holding key leadership positions in healthcare and academia, were inducted. Discussions included healthcare financing challenges with recommendations to improve funding, led by WHO Health Economist Dr. Francis Ukwuije, and a panel on health insurance progress and prospects in Nigeria, emphasizing the low coverage rate currently at 10%.

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Prof. Adewole’s election signals renewed focus on health sector challenges, building on his legacy as Health Minister, where he championed primary healthcare revitalization and universal health coverage strategies. The conference underscored urgent needs in disease surveillance, health education, and system financing to mitigate emerging health threats facing Nigeria.