• 04 Jul, 2025
• Faith Kegh
• No comment

NMA Lagos Rejects Federal Government’s New Salary Proposal for Doctors.

The Lagos chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has strongly opposed the Federal Government’s proposed new salary structure for doctors, calling it unfair, professionally unsound, and likely to worsen the country’s already fragile healthcare system.

At a press briefing in Lagos, NMA Lagos Chairman, Dr. Babajide Saheed, criticized the proposal, saying it undermines clinical leadership and threatens the professional hierarchy that ensures accountability in hospitals.

“After thorough review and consultations, we find this proposal fundamentally flawed and damaging to the integrity of healthcare delivery,” Saheed said.

He accused the government of disregarding the established pay structure that recognizes differences in training, clinical responsibility, and risk exposure between medical doctors and other health professionals.

“This isn’t about superiority,” he explained. “As Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti once said, hierarchy in healthcare is about responsibility, not ego. Removing that structure will lead to confusion and a breakdown in clinical leadership.”

Dr. Saheed also condemned the inclusion of specialist and honorarium allowances for non-doctors, saying these are benefits reserved for clinicians who undergo rigorous specialist training through recognized medical colleges. He argued that extending such allowances to other fields dilutes the value of specialist certification.

Citing WHO guidelines, he emphasized that specialist pay should reflect the depth of clinical knowledge, leadership responsibility, and exposure to risk all of which the proposed structure fails to acknowledge.

He further criticized the proposed salary parity between medical doctors and academic doctorate holders in fields like pharmacy and optometry, noting that clinical licensure and academic qualifications serve very different purposes.

“You cannot equate a Doctor of Pharmacy with a medical consultant,” he said. “No functioning healthcare system in the world does that not in the UK, not in Canada, not in Australia.”

The NMA Lagos fully supports the national body’s 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, urging the reversal of the proposed pay scheme and restoration of proper salary structures.

“This ultimatum is not confrontational,” Saheed said. “It is a call for constructive dialogue to address an issue that threatens the sustainability of our healthcare system.”

The association also appealed to the Lagos State Government not to implement the proposal until an agreement is reached with the NMA through professional negotiations.

“Lagos has long been a model of healthcare excellence. Adopting this flawed structure would undermine that reputation,” Saheed warned.

He raised concerns about worsening medical brain drain, pointing out that Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio is already around 1:5,000 far from the World Health Organization’s recommended 1:600.

“Doctors are leaving the country in large numbers,” he said. “This proposal will only accelerate that trend, leaving more patients without adequate care.”

Saheed urged the government to collaborate with the NMA in developing a fair and sustainable salary framework that reflects the realities of clinical work in Nigeria.

“We welcome reforms,” he concluded, “but they must be professional, evidence-based, and just. The future of our healthcare system and the people who keep it running depends on it.”

Faith Kegh

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