Canada’s First Black Health Journal Debuts in Edmonton, Led by Nigerian Physicians

A historic milestone in Canadian medical publishing was marked this weekend as the Canadian Nigerian Medical Journal  the first Black health-focused medical journal in the country was officially launched in Edmonton. Backed by the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD), the journal aims to address longstanding healthcare disparities and improve outcomes for Black Canadians.

With over 1,000 Black physicians in attendance, the event underscored a powerful vision: to create a dedicated, academically rigorous platform for Black medical voices, research, and patient-centered insights.

“This journal is more than a publication it's a bridge to better, culturally competent care,” said Dr. Moses Ademola, the journal’s Editor-in-Chief. “Our lived experiences, cultural understanding, and global training offer unique insights that deserve space in academic discourse.”

The journal’s inaugural edition, published August 2025, comes at a time when multiple studies including those from Canadian public health agencies continue to highlight systemic inequities Black communities face in accessing quality healthcare. These include discrimination at individual, institutional, and structural levels.

According to Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass, one of the founding editorial leads, the idea has been in development for over two decades. “Many of us have studied and practiced across continents. We’re combining that global expertise to focus on health issues that disproportionately affect people who look like us,” she said.

Though founded by a diaspora-led organization, the journal has a broader scope. Dr. Segun Oyedokun, Deputy Editor, emphasized that it is a fully peer-reviewed, open-access publication. “It’s not limited to Nigerian or African physicians. Our goal is inclusion and accessibility without the financial gatekeeping many journals impose,” he explained.

The journal will serve as a repository for new research, diagnostics, and clinical innovations especially those tailored to Black communities across Canada and beyond. Submissions will be open to medical professionals worldwide.

“This is only the beginning,” Dr. Ademola concluded. “There’s a proverb that says, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ We’re ready to go far with the support of our community.”