Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has accused the federal government of attempt to plunge members into abject poverty and slavery by subjecting them to work over 72 hours without commensurate pay.

The NMA Chairman, Akwa Ibom State chapter, Dr Aniekan Peter who made the claims at a press conference in Uyo, regretted that Nigeria pays the least salary to doctors in the world, noting that Nigerian doctors now run to Ghana, Togo, Liberia even Cameroon to practice where they are taken care of.

He said, “Nigeria pays one of the worst, if not the worst salary to doctors and that’s why you see Nigerian doctors running to Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Cameroon for survival. Is it not a shame that in Nigeria doctors are resigning to work in Ghana, Togo, Benin, Republic? Not even USA, UK?

“So gradually the federal government has pushed doctors into absolute poverty. We have been trying to engage the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria led by our president, Bola Tinubu, through our National officers’ Committee NOC, unfortunately, a lot of the things have always been promissory.”

Peter who lamented the rate of brain drain in the health sector said out of 85,000 registered medical practitioners in Nigeria, only 55,000 is left and called on the federal government to employ more medical personnel, improve their welfare package and equip health facilities to address the issue.

He also expressed concern that despite the Federal Government’s inability to cater for the welfare needs of its doctors, President Tinubu has decided to send Nigerian Doctors to St Lucia and the government is to pay them N3 million while doctors back home are taking home a paltry N300,000 only.

He stressed, “as Nigerian doctors we are saying that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.”

Reading a communique endorsed by the chapter sectary Dr Edesiri Ighorodje at the end of an emergency extraordinary general meeting in Uyo; Peter hinted at the 21-day ultimatum already issued by the National Officer Committee of the association in response to circular from the National Salaries and Wages Commission.

He said the association in the state had rejected the circular on the review of allowances for Medical and Dental Officers and had made some modifications in addition to the 19-point demands presented by the NOC to the Federal Government.

He listed the demands to include: ”Improvement of the living minimum wage with at least 300%pay rise for all medical and dental practitioners, universal applicability of all salary adjustments and allowances for medical and dental practitioners in state MDAs, private sector and the universities and immediate withdrawal of the circular on review of allowances for medical dental officers in the Federal Public Service dated 27 June 2025.

Other demands according to the chairman include: “Immediate correction of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001,2009, and 2014 CBAs, immediate correction of the relativity agreement between CONMESS and CONHESS and immediate settlement of all outstanding areas of 25-35%CONMESS,clinical duty and accruement allowances owed to medical and dental practitioners”

Peter expressed fear that if their demands are not met the health sector will continue to suffer as many health officers are ready to leave Nigeria for greener pastures.