Enabulele becomes first Nigerian elected as Chairman of Socio-Medical Affairs Committee of WMA

A consultant surgeon and associated professor at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Edo State as well as former President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has been elected first Nigerian chairman of Socio-Medical Affairs Committee (SMAC) of the World Medical Association (WMA).

Enabulele, who is also the Vice President, Commonwealth Medical Association (CWMA), was unanimously elected at the election which held during the 212th Council meeting of the WMA, held on Friday, April 26, 2019 in Santiago, Chile, making him the first Nigerian to hold the position since WMA was founded in 1947.

Following his election, he is now a member of the Executive Committee of the WMA. The WMA has only three standing committees and SMAC is one of them.

SMAC is saddled with the responsibility of presiding over global issues bordering on social-medical affairs including right based issues in healthcare, social determinants of health and all other issues bordering on non-ethical aspects of medicine will be handled by the committee.

Shortly after he was elected, he chaired his first session as Chairman of SMAC. “I am elated to be elected as the first Nigeria Chairman of SMAC but my work goes beyond Nigeria and Africa, it is global. My team and I will work tirelessly to provide far reaching solutions to global issues bordering on social-medical affairs including right based issues in healthcare.”

Enabulele was lauded for the reforms implemented during his tenure particularly in the area of welfare for doctors in the West African country. He is also a two-time nominee for the office of President of the WMA.

In October 2014, he was nominated for the office of WMA President at the 65th General Assembly of the WMA held in Durban, South Africa.

He is a member of the Policy Review Committee of WMA and representative of the West African region on the CMA Executive Board since 2013.

He also is the coordinator of the Coalition of African National Medical Associations.

Dr. Osahon Enabulele makes history: Becomes the first Nigerian-ever to be elected as Chairman of a Standing Committee of the World Medical Association (WMA).

Dr. Osahon Enabulele has been elected the Chairman of the Socio-Medical Affairs Committee of the World Medical Association.

At the election which held during the 212th Council meeting of the World Medical Association (WMA), held on Friday, 26th April, 2019 in Santiago, Chile, Dr. Enabulele was unanimously elected, thus making him the first Nigerian to ever hold such an enviable position since the WMA was founded in 1947.

Following his election, Dr. Enabulele is now a member of the Executive Committee of the WMA. The WMA has only three standing committees and SMAC is one of them.

The Socio-Medical Affairs Committee (SMAC) is saddled with the responsibility of handling/ presiding over global issues bordering on social-medical affairs, including right based issues in healthcare, social determinants of health and all other issues bordering on non-ethical aspects of medicine.

Shortly after his historic election, he chaired his first session as Chairman of SMAC. In his remarks, Dr. Enabulele thanked members of the WMA for reposing great confidence in him and electing him to head such an important global platform. He assured them that he will, under no circumstance, betray the confidence reposed in him.

Dr. Enabulele equally assured members that though he is the sole African representative serving on the WMA Council, his global work as SMAC Chairman will be carried beyond Nigeria and Africa, for the benefit of citizens of the world. In his words, “My team and I shall work tirelessly to provide far reaching solutions to global issues bordering on social-medical affairs, including right based issues in healthcare.

Dr. Enabulele is a Chief Consultant Family Physician and a former President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). As President of the NMA, he was lauded for the reforms implemented during his tenure, particularly in the area of reforms in the healthcare system, the initiation of a free Medical Mission in the year 2012 that has attended to the healthcare needs of over 70, 000 indigent Nigerians, the welfare and working conditions of doctors in the West African country, amongst others.

Between 2017 and April 25, 2019, Dr. Osahon Enabulele served as a member of the 5 member Policy Review Committee of the World Medical Association (the only African member of the Committee). He is also a three time nominee for the office of President of the World Medical Association.

He is currently the Vice President of the Commonwealth Medical Association and the incoming President of the Commonwealth Medical Association.

He is also the coordinator of the Coalition of African National Medical Associations (made up of all National Medical Associations in the African region).