Posted on: Fri 18-07-2025

The Ondo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has voiced strong opposition to the Federal Government’s recent move to review allowances for medical and dental officers within the federal public service. The association's stance was made public through a communiqué released after an emergency meeting held in Akure, the Ondo State capital, reflecting deep concerns about the implications of the government’s decision on the healthcare sector.

In the statement, jointly signed by the state chairman, Dr. Alonge Olumuyiwa, and the secretary, Dr. Olaopa Gideon, the association condemned the circular issued by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission. The circular proposes adjustments to the allowances of medical and dental practitioners, a move the Ondo NMA described as "obnoxious" and ill-timed, considering the critical state of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

The association highlighted the multiple challenges that doctors and other healthcare professionals in the country are currently facing. At the forefront is the severe shortage of medical personnel, worsened by the escalating "japa syndrome"—a term used locally to describe the mass emigration of Nigerian healthcare professionals in search of better opportunities abroad. This exodus has left the healthcare workforce depleted, resulting in heavier workloads for the few doctors and healthcare workers who have chosen to remain and serve their communities.

The NMA noted that beyond manpower shortages, the healthcare sector is grappling with poor remuneration, deteriorating conditions of service, and a backlog of unpaid allowances and arrears. Against this backdrop, the proposed review of allowances was seen not as a progressive step but as a potential trigger for further demoralization within the medical profession.

In its communiqué, the Ondo NMA expressed solidarity with the National Officers Committee of the Nigerian Medical Association, fully backing its demands to the Federal Government. Chief among these demands is the immediate withdrawal of the controversial circular. The association also called for a 300 per cent salary increase for all medical and dental practitioners, arguing that this adjustment is essential to reflect the realities of the profession and to stem the tide of brain drain.

Additionally, the NMA urged the Federal Government to ensure the universal applicability of salary and allowance adjustments across all levels of medical service, including state Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), private healthcare sectors, universities, and house officers. The association emphasized the need for an urgent review of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements reached in the 2001, 2009, and 2014 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). Of particular concern is the issue of salary relativity between the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), a longstanding issue that the NMA insists must be resolved in accordance with the 2001 agreement, especially regarding call duty allowances and the settlement of all accrued arrears.

The Ondo NMA also issued a clarion call to senior medical professionals and stakeholders to lend their voices to the struggle. The association believes that the involvement of respected leaders in the profession will amplify the urgency of the doctors' demands and push the government to act decisively.

In closing, the NMA directed all its members in Ondo State to remain on standby for further instructions, signaling the possibility of industrial action if the government fails to address the concerns raised. The association’s firm stance underscores the growing frustration among medical professionals in Nigeria, as they continue to navigate a healthcare system plagued by neglect, underfunding, and systemic inefficiencies.

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