The Abia State administration has been criticized by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) for failing to pay doctors and other healthcare professionals their salary and benefits for the past 24 months.
Following the conclusion of its 2022 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Gombe International Hotel in Gombe State, the association issued the statement yesterday during a news conference.
Dr. Uche Roland Ojinmah, the association’s national president, who spoke at the press conference, expressed disappointment over the Abia State government’s failure to pay the salaries and allowances of their members in the state, noting that doctors are crucial workers in society who should be encouraged to work.
Ojinmah also bemoaned the low wages that health professionals across the country get, saying that the last time their pay was evaluated was in 2009.
He claims that a lack of doctors in Nigeria’s medical facilities is the result of many leaving Nigeria for better pay opportunities in other nations.
In addition, he criticized the country’s inadequate doctors and pointed out that they are overworked, as well as the lack of functional equipment and a supportive environment.
He stated: “The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended doctor-patient ratio of one doctor for every 600 patients is already severely distorted in Nigeria, where it is currently the worst with a doctor for every 5,000 patients. In Nigeria, the problem of physician burnout is currently being fueled by the lack of medical professionals.
“The NEC also observed how physician burnout has a negative impact on all facets of medical treatment, including patient satisfaction and the standard of care. We expressed our disappointment at the government’s failure to address the push factors causing the brain drain, which include the enormous migration of physicians and other healthcare professionals looking for better opportunities.
“NEC reiterates that the current dire health indicators could someday get out of control unless the government takes drastic action to address the issue of brain drain.
It should be highlighted that the main causes of disease outbreak include rapid population increase and the ensuing human intrusion into natural areas, globalization, widespread drug resistance among microorganisms, and climate change.
