What is MANSAG?

MANSAG is an association incorporated and established exclusively for charitable, education, scientific and research purposes. MANSAG is an acronym for Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain. This association was formed in 1997 following a long period of cross fertilisation of ideas amongst Nigerian doctors resident in the United Kingdom. It is one of the main bodies representing Nigerian Medical doctors and allied professionals in the British Isles. MANSAG represents interests of over 5000 Physicians, Nurses, Radiographers, Pharmacists and other Healthcare professionals of Nigerian origin. The association recognises the wealth of potential in the diversity of the professional as well as intellectual capacity of its members against a background of the dearth of medical skills in the developing world. The association wishes to play a pivotal role in the new world order, partnering with similar concerned organisations and bodies to improve the health and welfare of the less privileged, particularly those from Africa and Nigeria.

PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES ARE:

  • To promote the professional wellbeing and social integration of doctors and allied health professionals of Nigerian heritage living in the United Kingdom;
  • To support successful integration of new entrants into the nation;
  • To  provide opportunities for academic advancement for members;
  • To facilitate recreational and social activities;
  • To carry out charitable activities aimed at supporting important causes within the UK and Nigeria.Mission

Mission

To strengthen, protect, nurture and enrich the professional and social lives of our members while managing and treating health conditions in individual practices in the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

VISION

Our vision is to have a purposeful, formidable and unified forum for medical professionals of Nigerian heritage across Great Britain and Northern Ireland with a positive impact and benefits to members, our host countries and home country Nigeria.

 

WHAT WE DO:

  •  MANSAG annual educational symposium and General Conference – Here we address healthcare issues affecting Africans in general and Nigerians in particular including but not limited to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Sickle cell disease, Prostate cancer, Ovarian Cancer, and mental health Issues. These events also provide education and training and CPD points for our members.
  • Our Medical Missions include annual MANSAG training week and hands on medical engagement with the healthcare professionals back home in cities and rural regions of Nigeria. These offer opportunity for active engagement with Nigerian Healthcare workers and in private and public health institutions. The most recent mission was the Trauma Counselling Training and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Humanitarian mission in Jos, Nigeria.
  • MANSAG New Generation through social medial platforms and annual meetings engage in lively discussions on healthcare issues in the UK and Nigeria.
  • There is ample opportunity for social interaction with healthcare professionals in different specialties and in different part of the United Kingdom. MANSAG offers Coaching, Mentorship, advice on career pathways and guidance on clinical and academic publications with opportunities to be co-author.
PRINCIPLES, VALUES AND MANSAG CHARTER
 
 MANSAG is committed to supporting all its members in whatever circumstances they may find themselves. This commitment could take the form of assisting with identification of development needs, provision of informal mentoring, supporting members through personal family tragedies, professional difficulties etc.
The organisation will maintain confidentiality as appropriate and will use its collective strength to work in partnership with other relevant professional bodies, associations and unions to promote the needs and effective delivery of such needs of its members.
 
MANSAG works positively with the government, ministers and key stakeholders in the British Isles and in Nigeria where appropriate to ensure that its members have opportunity to contribute to health policies and strategies with the aim of maximising the positive impact that such an inclusive approach could have.
 
Members are expected to pay their subscriptions and conduct themselves professionally at all times and act as role model for young Nigerian healthcare practitioners.
 
MANSAG continues to promote the integration of its members into wider British culture but equally works to preserve its distinct history and culture in order to ensure that its members keep a sense of their roots and identity.
 
All members are expected to contribute their time, professional skills and expertise when necessary for the benefit of the association as a whole.
 

CURRENT MANSAG PROJECTS

MANSAG Mentoring Scheme (MMS)- The aim of MMS is to offer support and guidance to junior doctors within the area of specialist interest as they develop their career. It is recognised that successful careers depend not only on strong clinical skills and academic excellence but also on making the right career choices. We hope the MMS mentors will be able to offer insights, share experiences and expertise as well as provide support and encouragement. The focus of the mentoring relationships is expected to be

  •  Career guidance/job applications
  •  Personal development planning
  •  Networking on Line within specialist email user group (e.g. Obs/Gynae, Paediatrics, GPs etc)
  •  Academic collaborations in research and publications.

LOCAL CHAPTER EVENTS
MANSAG West Midlands Education and Business Meeting takes place on 23 rd Feb 2019 at the postgraduate centre, City Hospital, Dudley Road, Birmingham 1330- 1630Hr.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)
Our educational symposium and annual conference educational contents are recognised by various Royal Colleges for CPD points.

MANSAG WEEK
Activities to be published soon

DIASPORA PROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE (DPHI)
MANSAG is working alongside other diaspora organisations including NANNUK, ANPA, CAMPAD etc in the development of this initiative. DPHI is an amalgamation of the 1/11 and Pride & Prime initiatives. The decision was reached in Lincolnshire UK on 27 October 2017 to merge both programmes to form the Diaspora Professionals Healthcare Skills Transfer Programme (DPHSTP) which was later changed to Diaspora Professional Healthcare Initiative (DPHI). The intention is to provide a structured and seamless healthcare to designated centres in Nigeria on a rotational basis.

HISTORY

Whenever you find two or more Nigerians gathered for the briefest of moments, more often than not, the travails of Nigeria are discussed intensely and passionately with frustration and despair.  In the case of MANSAG, these discussions often dovetail into desperate and frustrating conditions that Nigerian doctors are subjected to whilst pursuing their careers in the NHS. Following several conversations, Hosea Gana, Cally Nwosu, Olu Obaro, Andrew Baderin, and Titus Odedun to name a few, felt that the time for talking was over and practical solutions were required. To this end, a series of meetings were organised.

Preceding and concurrent with these meetings were issues of a constitution and a name for the body. A constitution drafting committee was inaugurated which included senior members, particularly Professor P. Osuhor who was a professor and a mentor of many of the founding members. The final drafted document was completed in the house of one of the members, Steve Orife.

The journey continued with the numbers gradually increasing and enthusiasm rising. The meetings were held in members house to start with, moving on to public places in Liverpool, Newcastle upon Tyne etc.  It is important to note that the enthusiasm was such that the next big hurdle was crossed when a meeting was held in a five-
star Hotel in Leicester. The event was hosted by Mr Sola Oni and Uche Ngwu; also present were international guest speakers. The meetings also formulated policies with respect to achieving goals in Nigeria and also method and mechanisms of consolidating the organisation’s status in the British Isles.

The acronym  MANSAG was initially the medical association of Nigerian specialists and general practitioners in the British Isles according to the first constitution which was adopted on the 19th September 1998 and was revised 12th September 1999. The acronym was changed to reflect the changing playing field and to be inclusive of healthcare professionals of Nigeria origin.