The Consultant Cadre and the Culture of Gatekeeping in Nigerian Healthcare
By Nr. Adekunle Abdulqayyum One of the current demand by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to restrict the “consultant cadre” only to medical doctors has reignited an old but crucial debate , who truly deserves the title of Consultant in Nigeria’s health system? Beyond the emotional and professional sentiments, this question exposes a deeper problem: Nigeria’s health system has remained trapped in an outdated, doctor-dominated model that no longer aligns with global realities Understanding the “Consultant Cadre” Traditionally, the Consultant title refers to a senior specialist doctor who has completed residency training and is qualified to lead in patient care, teaching, and clinical decision-making. However, as health systems evolved globally, other professionals , nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and medical laboratory scientists , also advanced in expertise, research, and clinical leadership. They, too, began to take on consultant-level roles within thei...