The Medical Director of Krown Hospital, Lagos, Dr Olukayode Akinlade, has said the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system largely depends on professionals who are genuinely driven by service rather than certificates, titles or financial rewards.
He stated this while delivering a keynote address at the matriculation and convocation ceremony of the Ethan School of Health Technology, Lagos, where he charged healthcare students and practitioners to consistently translate knowledge into compassionate, ethical and people-centred service.
According to Akinlade, healthcare is one of the few professions where knowledge has an immediate and direct impact on human lives, noting that every decision taken by a health worker can determine whether a patient heals, suffers or survives.
“In healthcare, learning without service is incomplete. Transforming knowledge into service is not optional; it is a moral duty and a professional obligation. What truly matters is not just what you know, but how you apply that knowledge in service to humanity,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria does not merely need more healthcare workers, but professionals who are competent, ethical and deeply committed to serving people with empathy and integrity.
Addressing newly admitted students, Akinlade urged them to see every lecture, practical session and clinical exposure as preparation for the responsibility of caring for human lives.
“You will learn clinical procedures, ethics, record-keeping, laboratory methods and patient care. These are all important, but you must always ask yourself one question: how will what I am learning help me serve people better?” he said.
The Krown Hospital boss noted that healthcare service goes beyond technical competence, adding that compassion, patience, professionalism and respect for human dignity are equally vital.
“You will meet patients who are afraid, confused, frustrated or in pain. In those moments, your attitude and choice of words will matter just as much as your certificates,” he added.
Speaking to graduating students, Akinlade said their true value to society would not be measured by grades alone, but by how effectively they apply their knowledge in real-life situations.
“In my 50 years of practice and leadership in healthcare, I have learned that the most outstanding professionals are those who see their work as service, not just as employment or a source of income,” he said.
He explained that service-driven professionals respect protocols, protect patient confidentiality, show up on time, continue to learn, and do the right thing even when no one is watching.
Sharing a personal experience from his early medical career, Akinlade said a patient once taught him a lesson no textbook could offer.
“The diagnosis was correct and the treatment appropriate, but what the patient needed most was reassurance, dignity and compassion. That moment reminded me that healthcare is not just about what you know, but how you serve,” he said.
He urged healthcare workers across the country to choose empathy over ego, excellence over convenience, and purpose over position, stressing that impact — not titles — is the true measure of success in healthcare.
Also speaking at the event, the Provost of the school, Dr Adesola Ajibade, described the ceremony as a moment of pride and a renewed commitment to training competent and ethical healthcare professionals.
He congratulated the matriculating students admitted into programmes such as Community Health, Pharmacy Technician, Anaesthesia Technician and Medical Laboratory Technician, urging them to uphold discipline, good character and professional ethics.
Ajibade reminded students that the institution has zero tolerance for examination malpractice and other acts that fall outside acceptable societal norms.
Dr Akinlade concluded by reminding all present that the future of healthcare belongs to those who serve best.
“Knowledge gives you competence, but service gives you meaning. Nigeria needs healthcare professionals who will heal with their hands and lead with their hearts,” he said.
