As Nigeria commemorates the 2025 International Workers’ Day, medical doctors in Lagos have raised the alarm over the deteriorating state of the country’s healthcare system, warning that it is on the brink of collapse due to worsening working conditions and mass emigration of professionals.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Dr. Babajide Saheed, the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) expressed grave concern over the continued exodus of doctors abroad—a trend widely referred to as the “Japa syndrome.”
Dr. Saheed urged the government to urgently address the root causes driving this brain drain, warning that any reform policies that overlook the issue are bound to fail.
“Any government policy that doesn’t first resolve the issue of the Japa syndrome is a waste of time. Such a policy will not work without the driving force of human resources,” he stated.
He added that doctors are not making demands out of convenience, but are facing harsh economic realities that have rendered their earnings insufficient for daily living.
“We are not just demanding salary increases for the sake of it. The economic conditions have worsened, and our take-home pay can no longer take us home,” Dr. Saheed said.
The NMA outlined a series of urgent demands, including the payment of outstanding salary arrears—particularly the skipping and CONMESS arrears promised since 2024—improved remuneration, and inflation-adjusted professional and call-duty allowances that should be non-taxable.
The association also called for comprehensive welfare reforms, such as access to affordable housing, car loans, and other support structures aimed at retaining medical professionals in Nigeria.
Dr. Saheed explained why many doctors are leaving Nigeria: “A doctor who is overworked, underpaid, and has no chance of owning a car or house in Nigeria will naturally look for opportunities elsewhere. It’s not unpatriotic, it’s survival,” he said.
He added that reforms must go beyond salary, calling for a better working environment with proper equipment, training, research grants, and inclusive health policies that promote respect and empathy.
“Health sector development must be comprehensive. We need tools, training, and trust,” he said.
The doctors are demanding structural reforms to improve the morale and stability of the health workforce. Key among their demands is an increase in the retirement age for healthcare workers, aligning with global standards to retain experienced professionals.
They are also pushing for the harmonisation of salaries for doctors across all public institutions, including teaching hospitals, polytechnics, and universities, under the CONMESS salary structure, to ensure fairness and reduce inequality in the system.
Additionally, the doctors want an immediate end to the casualisation of medical professionals through locum appointments, which they argue undermines job security and professional dignity.
They also called for the withdrawal of the newly introduced consultant pharmacist cadre in clinical settings, insisting that it has created confusion, professional tension, and adds no real value to patient care.
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“The consultant pharmacy cadre brings no additional clinical value and only complicates patient care. This must be urgently reversed,” the statement read.
On a positive note, the group confirmed that unauthorised deductions from April 2025 salaries in Lagos have been reversed after they engaged the authorities.
However, they reminded the Federal Government that promises must be kept, especially the long-awaited payment of CONMESS arrears.
In their final plea, Dr. Saheed said: “Nigerian doctors are not asking for luxury, just dignity, fairness, and the tools to do their jobs. If these issues are not addressed, the brain drain will continue, and the health system will collapse further. There is still time to act, but that time is fast running out.”