The Academy of Medical Sciences, Nigeria, is set to honour outstanding medical researchers and award ₦10 million to a leading cardiologist for his contributions to cardiovascular research, medical education and clinical practice.
The Academy named Prof. Okechukwu Samuel Ogah of the University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, as the recipient of its 2026 Gold Medal Award, its highest honour, as part of activities marking its forthcoming convocation.
The Academy’s Foundation President, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos during a pre-convocation media briefing, saying the event would also feature the induction of 13 researchers, a scientific conference, a memorial lecture and the inauguration of new leadership.
Ashiru said the activities reflected the Academy’s commitment to advancing medical science, recognising scholarly excellence and strengthening leadership in the health sector to improve healthcare delivery and national development.
Ogah, a former president of the Nigerian Cardiac Society, will receive the award in recognition of his contributions to cardiovascular research, medical education and clinical practice.
The annual scientific conference, scheduled for October 30 at the Marriott Lagos Hotel, Ikeja, will focus on “The Genetics and Genomics of Non-Communicable Diseases: Integrating Science into Clinical Care.”
Ashiru said the conference would bring together eight distinguished speakers to examine how advances in genetics and genomics could be translated into clinical practice to improve disease diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.
The keynote lecture, titled “The Joy of the Human Genome: Discovery to Clinical Care,” will be delivered by Prof. Azeez Butali, a craniofacial genetics expert at the University of Iowa, United States.
The programme will also feature the second Augustine Ohwovoriole Memorial Lecture, to be delivered by Prof. Sunday Chinenye, an endocrinologist at the University of Port Harcourt, in honour of the Academy’s late founding Board of Trustees member.
Ashiru further announced that Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, a professor of chemical pathology and former Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, would be inaugurated as the Academy’s president for a four-year term.
He said the incoming leadership would be expected to promote research and innovation, strengthen medical education and provide scientific evidence to guide government health policies.
The 13 researchers to be inducted represent several medical disciplines, including cardiology, nephrology, dentistry, clinical pharmacology, paediatrics, neuroscience and ophthalmology.
According to Ashiru, their induction recognises outstanding scholarly achievements and reinforces the responsibility of medical professionals to apply their expertise to address the country’s healthcare challenges.
The Academy’s President, Prof. Osato Giwa-Osagie, said the institution had continued to support research and public health initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
He listed its interventions to include grants for oral-health research, the promotion of student research and participation in the development of a national framework for point-of-care testing.
Giwa-Osagie added that the Academy issued public health advisories on Ebola, Lassa fever and diphtheria in 2026, while collaborating with government ministries and health agencies on disease prevention and health-system improvement.
“Election to the Academy is a recognition of outstanding professional accomplishment, scholarly excellence and demonstrated commitment to advancing health and medicine,” he said.
On the recent identification of an Ebola disease case in the Federal Capital Territory, Giwa-Osagie called for heightened vigilance and preventive measures across the country.
He urged Nigerians to maintain proper hand hygiene and watch for symptoms such as fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea.
He also advised anyone who suspected exposure to the virus or developed symptoms to contact public health authorities before visiting a health facility, to enable appropriate guidance and infection-control measures.
READ ALSO: WHO Warns Funding Gaps Threaten Africa’s Polio Eradication Goals
ECOWAS Court Awards Darma $50,000, Orders Payment of Outstanding Benefits
Giwa-Osagie reaffirmed the Academy’s commitment to providing objective, evidence-based and impartial advice on medical care, public health, medical education and research.
He said the institution would sustain partnerships with government agencies, professional bodies, research institutions and development organisations to promote medical innovation, strengthen healthcare delivery and improve health outcomes across Nigeria.
About The Author
