The Nigerian Medical Affiliation (NMA) has criticized the Federal Authorities’s latest deal to ship Nigerian docs and different well being employees to Saint Lucia, calling it a contradiction and unacceptable.
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu signed an settlement to deploy expert manpower to Saint Lucia, together with academics, medical professionals, and agriculturists, to the Caribbean nation.
This response got here only a day after the NMA gave the federal government a 21-day deadline to handle long-standing points associated to docs’ welfare.
“This announcement comes at a time when Nigerian docs are grappling with systemic neglect, poor salaries, withheld allowances, and the discharge of a controversial wage round that undermines their welfare {and professional} dignity,” mentioned in an announcement signed by its Secretary Normal, Dr. Benjamin Egbo, and posted on X on Thursday.
NMA flags alarming pay hole
The NMA expressed outrage over the evident disparity in remuneration. It revealed that Nigerian docs below the Saint Lucia association are anticipated to earn N40.8 million yearly, paid by the Nigerian authorities, whereas docs serving domestically in Nigeria at present obtain solely N11.9 million every year.
For comparability, the NMA famous that the federal government of Saint Lucia pays its personal docs N131.7 million yearly, additional underscoring the inequity within the proposed deployment scheme.
Egbo described the federal government’s transfer as “a deeply troubling contradiction” and an try to spice up Nigeria’s worldwide picture whereas failing to fulfill the essential obligations owed to docs at house who’re toiling exhausting to serve Nigeria.
“We remind the Federal Authorities that Nigerian docs have been struggling whereas working and serving Nigerians.
“Many docs leaving the nation resulting from Poor remuneration; Continual delays in fee of the Medical Residency Coaching Fund (MRTF); non-implementation of beforehand negotiated welfare packages and agreements; Hazardous working situations with out commensurate danger allowances; Lack of common implementation of the CONMESS wage construction for most of the docs, “Egbo mentioned.
Affect of neglect: burnout and mind drain
He added that these challenges have overburdened the docs left behind, resulting in burnout, stress, continual illnesses, and even dying, which invariably will increase morbidity and mortality amongst Nigerians.
Egbo recalled that on July 2, 2025, the NMA issued a press launch demanding that the federal government tackle its grievances inside a 21-day window.
NMA’s calls for to the federal government
In keeping with him, the affiliation is requesting that the federal government: Withdraw and substitute the deceptive NSIWC round, Honour all excellent collective bargaining agreements, Resolve excellent allowances and proper distortions within the pay construction, Shield the skilled autonomy and dignity of Nigerian docs
“Whereas the NMA helps regional cooperation and worldwide engagement, it’s morally unjustifiable to export healthcare employees to overseas international locations and pay them 5 instances greater than they earned whereas serving in Nigeria,” he mentioned.
Egbo warned that such actions solely gas mind drain and deepen the nation’s healthcare disaster.
He connected a wage comparability desk exhibiting that docs in Saint Lucia are paid considerably greater than their counterparts in Nigeria.
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