Akwa Ibom State is producing far fewer medical graduates than it needs, leaving students with limited options to study medicine, nursing and allied health programmes close to home, the Nigeria Medical Association has warned.

Prof. Aniekan Peter, chairman of the NMA's Akwa Ibom chapter, made the call while addressing journalists in Uyo during the association's Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, urging the state government to establish at least seven medical training institutions to close a widening workforce and admissions gap.

He noted that the consequences were already visible, with the state unable to fill 400 approved doctor vacancies and struggling to recruit 700 nurses until eligibility criteria were relaxed.

"If there are vacancies for 100,000 teachers in the state, I'm sure you will find them immediately, but recently the state governor, Umo Eno, approved employment for 400 doctors and we couldn't get them. It means that there's something wrong somewhere," Peter stated.

While commending Governor Umo Eno for approving the establishment of a medical school at Akwa Ibom State University, Peter said the move addressed only 25% of the state's need.

"We thank the governor for opening the first medical school in the state; other states like Delta already had four," he said.

He argued that with more institutions in place, students across the state would face fewer barriers gaining admission into medicine, surgery, nursing and physiotherapy programmes.

"Medicine is no more a course; it's an empowerment, and any state or country that doesn't recognise this will not get it right," Peter said.

He identified existing facilities capable of anchoring new institutions, including general hospitals at Ikot Ekpene and Eket, various medical centres and the Ibom Specialist Hospital, which he described as capable of standing alone as a university