Posted on: Mon 30-06-2025

In what has been described as a landmark victory for justice and professional dignity, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has commended the Senate Committee on Health for its decisive intervention in the dispute between the FCT branch of the NMA and the management of the National Hospital, Abuja (NHA). The Senate’s directive for the immediate reinstatement of three senior medical consultants whose appointments were abruptly terminated has been hailed as a significant step towards ending the casualisation of doctors in Nigeria.

The case, which sparked widespread outrage within the medical community, involved the dismissal of three long-serving locum consultants—a radiologist, a urologist, and an obstetrician/gynaecologist. These specialists, part of a group of 30 locum doctors at the hospital, had been employed under precarious conditions that denied them basic employment benefits such as health insurance, pensions, and secure salary structures. Their termination was widely seen as arbitrary, fuelling accusations of scapegoating and victimisation.

At the heart of the Senate’s resolution was a condemnation of the casualisation of medical consultants. The lawmakers underscored the vital role these doctors play not only in saving lives but in educating the next generation of medical professionals. The unanimous decision by the Senate Committee on Health to demand the doctors’ reinstatement sent a powerful message: that the dignity of the medical profession must be safeguarded, and that injustice would not go unchallenged.

Reacting to this outcome, Dr. Benjamin Oluwatosin Olowojebutu, NMA National First Vice-President, expressed deep satisfaction. He described the Senate’s action as a triumph of law and humanity. “The Senate was unanimous; it stood for protecting the dignity of our profession, and for me, it’s very welcome. Everyone made it clear that this was an issue of scapegoating and victimisation,” he stated. Dr. Olowojebutu stressed that the broader issue at hand is the unacceptability of locum appointments for doctors, particularly in a country grappling with severe shortages of medical personnel and the exodus of health professionals in search of better opportunities abroad.

The NMA’s stance is clear: casualisation of doctors is not just a labour issue; it is a threat to the health system itself. Locum doctors, deprived of job security and essential benefits, cannot be expected to give their best under such conditions. The association has vowed to continue its advocacy until casualisation is ended not just in the FCT, but across Nigeria.

This latest development followed weeks of tension, during which the NMA FCT chapter had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the National Hospital demanding the reversal of the dismissals. While that ultimatum may now be reconsidered following the Senate’s intervention, the underlying demands remain: the suspension of casualisation, settlement of salary arrears, clearer recruitment processes, improved security, and stronger measures to stem the tide of brain drain.

“We have achieved the reinstatement of these doctors through the Senate’s mandate,” Dr. Olowojebutu affirmed. “But this is just the beginning. We are committed to ensuring that what happened to these three does not happen to any other doctor. We will continue to defend the sanctity of our profession and push for reforms that protect all our members.”

As the medical community reflects on this outcome, the message from the NMA is unambiguous: a call for a healthcare system where doctors are valued, protected, and empowered to deliver the highest standard of care to Nigerians.

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