The Doctor as a Youth: JUTH Resident Doctors Celebrates International Youth Day 2025

The President Dr Kwarshak Kevin, members of the executive council wish to felicitate with all powerful members of Congress as we mark the 2025 International Youth Day being celebrated today Tuesday August 12th, 2025.

The theme for 2025 International Youth Day is “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond” which places a strong emphasis on the transformative role of young people in the localization of the SDGs, translating the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into local realities.

ARD JUTH in celebration of this memorable day has virtually interviewed fourteen (14) upstanding, dedicated and youthful Congress members (including our dear house officers and our new 2025 residents).

Remember: “In the heart of every young person lies the potential for greatness.”

Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You!!!

Dr. Justice Ohwojeheri
Public Relations Officer (PRO), ARD JUTH.

Dr. Abah Emmanuel Ogah
Department of Radiation And Clinical Oncology

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young doctors can be game-changers by:

  • Serving as role models and advocates for healthy lifestyles
  • Promoting health education to combat substance abuse and mental health issues
  • Engaging in community outreach programs to address pressing health concerns
  • Mentoring youths to pursue excellence and fostering resilience and leadership
  • “As Young doctors we must be more than stethoscopes— we must be voices, hands, and hearts working to build a future where every youth can thrive. Not forgetting our greatest prescription: hope, knowledge, and courage—given freely to the youth who will lead after us.”

What advice would you give to your younger self?

  • Step out of your comfort zone and seize every learning opportunity.
  • Stay curious, ask questions, and surround yourself with positive influences
  • Prioritize your holistic health and family
  • Believe in your potential to make a difference, no matter how small
  • Above all else guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it
Dr. Abu Vanessa Ekoche
Internal Medicine Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

The young doctors are in a unique position because they combine medical knowledge, social influence, and proximity to youth struggles, using community outreaches, schools, and social media to promote healthy lifestyles, mental health awareness, sexual and reproductive health, and preventive medicine. They can also aid in guiding aspiring students toward healthcare careers or other positive paths. They can aid in showing through personal discipline, ethical practice, and service that success doesn’t require corruption or shortcuts.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I will tell my younger to know God earlier and chase him with all of my heart.

Dr. Ajeigbe Prince Ephraim
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young doctors can be involved in activities, programs and campaigns that identify key problems in the society like drug/substance abuse, unhealthy sexual behaviours, unhealthy cultural practices, and educate the young people of the society. People suffer where there is lack of knowledge. And some youth just lack adequate knowledge about the dangers of these practices. We can also be good role models to the society by living up to the standards the profession require of us.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

To my younger self, trust the process it’s all a matter of time.

Dr. Amutta Ebo
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young doctors have the ability to reshape the medical system, relate with the younger generations in modern ways and methods. Creating a health system that is free of judgement, filled with care and empathy.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Everything works out as long as you do your part and Believe.

Dr. Bonat Barnabas Moses
Surgery Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

I believe young doctors can play a role in shaping the future of youths in Nigeria by engaging the youth both within and outside the hospital setting. This will begin with young doctors exploring avenues for social interactions. I believe our training builds in us a system to navigate difficult terrains and our experiences can be a motivation. However we must allow them have access to us on other platforms other than the hospital settings. Those of us with a liking for sports, fashion and entrepreneurship have good platforms to explore. The average young doctorsholds tightly to the truth that there are principles to producing results and also adheres to, first and foremost do no harm(i.e be safe to others). These two tools of, principles and safety are fundamental to development in every sphere of life which youths must know early in life.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

The advice to my younger self will be one. To equip myself with a skill(with the potential for financial independence) vis-a-vis studying to becoming a doctor.

Dr. Byencit Jang
Department of Anatomic Pathology and Forensic Medicine

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young doctors can shape the future of youths in Nigeria through health education, promoting healthy lifestyles, advocating for better health seeking behaviour among youths and engaging in community health outreach programs. These will shape a generation that values wellness and responsibility.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Dream big, the possibilities are limitless!

Dr. Dennis Daniel Yaga
Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young Doctors indeed have an active role to play in shaping how this country turns out. This can be achieved through the following:

  • Active Participation in politics and governance related matters
  • Championing the cause of revamping the healthcare system, by active advocacy and being the non relenting pressure group to policy makers
  • Providing mentorship and career guidance to younger ones
  • Leveraging technology and Tech innovations to improve healthcare delivery at all levels
  • Being the agents of the very change we want, by attitudinal change towards our work and cultivating a good work ethic.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

ADVICE TO YOUNGER SELF

  • You can be anything you want, if you put your mind to it.
  • Explore opportunities beyond Medicine, there’s so much more out there beyond “Not pale, afebrile, anicteric, acyanosed….”
Dr. Gyang Sele Dawuda
Ophthalmology Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Using the social media to provide accurate information on healthy lifestyle and health issues.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

You don’t have to be your absolute best every day just keep showing up and doing the best you can.

Dr. Habila Rotshak Joseph
Anaesthesia Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

I) Having interactive/educative sessions with the youths on health challenges facing the Nigerian youth today, such as substance abuse, reproductive health, and mental health, and also developing ways to address these issues.

II)Partnering with the government/private bodies in organising workshops on skill acquisition because leaving the mind idle would only create a workshop for the devil.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Invest early and do not be afraid to take risk

Dr. Mabur Damla Joel
Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

The young Nigerian Doctors can shape the future of Youths in this country by being Beacons of hope just as they truly are to their patients. This is important because without Hope, nothing worthwhile can be done. The young Nigerian Doctors with Resilience, Courage, Dedication, Competence, Compassion and patriotism can chart a new course for the health sector and the country at large. We must strive to be where things matter so that we can be able to change the status quo and the whole narrative of a decaying society. In this also, we must unite because we cannot change Nigeria alone.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I will advice my younger self to dream bigger and strive to use the unused potentials in me with a flint determination. To know that the only limitations I have are those in my mind.

Dr. Matiyak Japheth John
Anaesthesia Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

a. Health care innovation and leadership
b. Advocacy and policy engagement
c. Community outreach and public health
d. Politics and Business.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Value every relationship; respect everyone; be humble, grateful and responsible!

Dr. Plangji Nathaniel Jwanbot
Internal Medicine Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young Doctors should become innovative, partake in leadership enabling them make positive changes that will have an impact on different aspects in the lives of Nigerians.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

To pursue excellence.

Dr. Shalom Palang Faya
Department of Community Medicine

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young doctors can guide the younger ones by sharing our experiences, offering mentorship, and using what we’ve learned, including from our personal experiences to help them make better choices and build better lives.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

The importance of education has been emphasised many times, but I would remind my younger self that true preparation for the future goes beyond classroom knowledge. Skills such as money management, leadership, communication, emotional intelligence, and practical hand skills are just as important. These will open doors and help overcome challenges.

Dr. Zainab Musa Umar
Psychiatry Department

What role can young doctors play in shaping the future of youths in this country Nigeria?

Young doctors can be a powerful agents of change for Nigeria’s youth by moving beyond traditional clinical roles and becoming proactive leaders in society.

They can leverage social media platforms to combat medical misinformation, which is rampant online. By creating engaging, evidence-based content on topics like mental health,reproductive health, and so on
they can become trusted voices and med-influencers who empower young people with accurate information using short videos and interactive Q&A sessions that make health education accessible and relatable.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Embrace a mindset of lifelong learning.

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