Dear Mansagians,
MANSAG is rich ooo! This was one of the many plaudits that was fed back to me at the recently concluded 28th MANSAG Annual General Conference & Meeting in Cambridge.
At the two-day conference we heard from several policymakers, politicians, business leaders, researchers, global NGOs, residents, consultants, specialists, members and their families as we explored the many facets of what ‘Strengthening Health Systems’ means to us as healthcare professionals of Nigerian heritage living and working in the United Kingdom.
The conference according to Dr. Ladi-Akinyemi, the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare special representative ’met and exceeded all my expectations’. It led directly to the signing of a memorandum of understanding between MANSAG and National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to strengthen the training in Emergency Medicine Specialty in Nigeria in collaboration with UK Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
Also, at the conference, we explored concrete interventions that will underpin our agreement with the MAMII team in partnership with Laerdal Global so MANSAG can be the key driver in the implementation of the Safer Birth Bundle of Care in Nigeria, improve the skill set of birth attendants and reduce the unacceptably high maternal and neonatal mortality. It inspired the visit of the MAMII team to meet the CEO of The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Ms. Lesley Watts, to explore how that Trust and other NHS organisations in the UK can support this national initiative supported by MANSAG.
We discussed policy – SCALE – to support our work in Nigeria and UK and heard from businesses and organisations that are making it easier for us to thrive in the UK. Many of us took advantage of the MDCN presence – a big plus for MANSAG -to update our Nigerian medical license and begin immediately to share our expertise and experience with colleagues in Nigeria.
During the conference we also discussed the upcoming Diaspora Health Impact Initiative in 2026 themed on health care. Hon Abike Dabiri’s – the CEO / Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission – presence at the conference underlined the importance the Nigerian government is attaching to this diaspora led event that MANSAG is coordinating in July 2026. Every member with the relevant skills for the various programmes within the initiative is welcome to participate and be part of a diaspora initiated sustained strengthening of Nigerian healthcare systems.
We must not forget the integration and the participation of families into the beating heart of this conference and the energy, variety, and beauty of our children and partners engaging with MANSAG at the conference. One personal highlight for me was the early morning 5K run with lots of our young members and their parents braving it in the wet and cold autumnal morning conditions.
The conference was impactful in many ways. The variety of programmes meant that there was something for everyone. I was particularly pleased to see the enthusiasm and engagement of many of our researchers throughout all cadres of professional development. The 72 abstracts presentations were of such high quality either as oral presentations or as digital posters. I look forward to their publication in our MANSAG’s partner journal- The Journal of Global Medicine. Every participant at this conference was a winner.
It was lovely to read the reflections from one of our young people that went on the Cambridge University campus walk. It reminded me of my very first participation at a MANSAG event over a quarter of a century ago encouraged by Dr. & Dr. (Mrs.) Agwu and was inspired by being in the midst of so many Nigerian professionals in one space. Then and now, being part of our national community events continue to uplift me. I hope that whether this conference was your first time or your 28th, you were strengthened by your experience in Cambridge.
Is MANSAG rich? Absolutely! Not in the way you might think…. Huge cash reserves in the bank, High yielding assets dotted around the world or organising expensive events at prestigious venues. Rather I see us as a community rich in healthcare professionals of Nigerian heritage that have amazing ideas and passion that will leave a profound and lasting impact on our societies in the UK and in Nigeria. This was the point that Dr Victor Ameh made during our 28th Annual General Meeting. We must not shy away from sharing our enormous wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience with each other, with our communities and with our partners so we can transform our societies.
That, for me, is the legacy of the 28th Annual General Conference & Meeting.
Remember that as Mansagians… Together we Transform!
Until next time,
Remain Blessed.
Jide,
Dr. Jide Menakaya
President, MANSAG