The Nigerian Medical Affiliation (NMA) has criticized the Federal Authorities’s current deal to ship Nigerian docs and different well being staff 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.
The NMA expressed outrage over the obvious disparity in remuneration. It revealed that Nigerian docs beneath the Saint Lucia association are anticipated to earn N40.8 million yearly, paid by the Nigerian authorities, whereas docs serving regionally in Nigeria at present obtain solely N11.9 million each 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 residence who’re toiling onerous to serve Nigeria.
“We remind the Federal Authorities that Nigerian docs have been struggling whereas working and serving Nigerians.
“Many docs leaving the nation attributable to 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.
He added that these challenges have overburdened the docs left behind, resulting in burnout, stress, persistent ailments, 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 handle its grievances inside a 21-day window.
In response to 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, Defend the skilled autonomy and dignity of Nigerian docs
“Whereas the NMA helps regional cooperation and worldwide engagement, it’s morally unjustifiable to export healthcare staff to international nations and pay them 5 occasions greater than they earned whereas serving in Nigeria,” he mentioned.
Egbo warned that such actions solely gasoline 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.
