The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association has strongly rejected the Federal Government?s proposed salary structure for medical doctors, describing it as unjust, unprofessional, and a potential threat to the stability of Nigeria?s already strained healthcare system.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos on Friday, the NMA Chairman, Dr. Babajide Saheed, warned that the proposal not only undermines clinical responsibility but also threatens the integrity of hospital leadership structures across the country.

?After extensive review and consultations with stakeholders, we find the proposed structure deeply flawed and potentially damaging to the integrity of our health system,? Saheed said.

According to him, the Federal Government?s proposal disregards long-established salary relativity, which reflects the difference in pay between medical doctors and other health professionals based on training, clinical risk, and responsibility.

?This is not a matter of superiority. As the late Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti rightly put it, the hierarchy in health is not about ego but about responsibility. When you blur it, you destroy the chain of accountability,? Saheed stated.

He said abolishing salary relativity would result in confusion over clinical leadership roles and weaken the structure of professional accountability within hospitals.

The NMA also rejected the inclusion of specialist and honorarium allowances for non-doctors in the new pay structure, insisting that such allowances were created specifically for certified clinicians who undergo years of postgraduate clinical training.

?These allowances are specifically designed for clinicians recognised by accredited professional colleges. Extending them beyond that undermines the purpose of specialist certification,? he said.

Citing World Health Organisation guidelines, Saheed added that ?specialist remuneration must reflect clinical leadership, depth of knowledge, and risk exposure. This proposal completely ignores that.?

The NMA further objected to proposed parity between medical doctors and those holding academic doctorate degrees in allied health fields, such as pharmacy and optometry.

?While we respect every healthcare professional, clinical licensure and patient care responsibilities are not the same as academic qualifications. It is misleading and professionally indefensible to equate a Doctor of Pharmacy with a certified medical consultant. No developed health system operates like that?not in the UK, Canada, or Australia,? he said.

The Lagos NMA expressed full support for the 21-day ultimatum issued by the national leadership of the NMA to the Federal Government, describing it as a necessary step to demand professional fairness and protect the future of healthcare in the country.

?This ultimatum is not an act of aggression but a call for responsible dialogue and correction. We stand by all the demands, including the restoration of salary relativity and reversal of the unjust redistribution of allowances,? Saheed said.

He also appealed to the Lagos State Government not to adopt the Federal Government?s proposal until a professionally negotiated and NMA-endorsed agreement is reached.

?Lagos State has a reputation for healthcare excellence. We urge the government not to compromise that by implementing a flawed and divisive structure,? he warned.

Raising concern over worsening brain drain in the medical sector, Saheed said Nigeria?s doctor-to-patient ratio?currently about 1:5,000 compared to the World Health Organisation?s recommended 1:600?was deteriorating rapidly.

?Doctors are already leaving in droves. This structure will only push more out of the system. Behind every emigrating doctor is a collapsing clinic and a patient left behind,? he said.

Dr. Saheed concluded with a call for evidence-based, constructive engagement with the NMA to produce a fair and globally aligned medical salary framework.

?We are not against reform. But any reform must be just, professional, and based on the realities of clinical work in Nigeria. This is about the survival of our healthcare system and the respect for those who carry its heaviest burdens.? (The PUNCH)

Update news