Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos Chapter, on Tuesday, urged the Lagos State government to allocate 15 per cent of its 2025 Budget to healthcare, and said it is in line with the Abuja Declaration of 2001.
The association of doctors, which faulted the healthcare system, lamented that it was overstretched, infrastructure was dilapidated and medical practitioners were overworked.
They spoke at the NMA Lagos State Physicians’ Week 2024, with the theme: ‘Ensuring Applicability on Remuneration: A Panacea to Talent Retention in the Healthcare Industry.’
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Occasion, Dr Adebayo Aderiye, in his remarks, also argued that the Civil Service Commission, CSC, should not determine the salary structure of healthcare workers, saying they were underpaid.
Aderiye said: “We all know about the Abuja Declaration in 2001. African countries gathered here and made a decision that in order to improve the healthcare in Africa, all countries must make sure that their health budget is no less than 15 per cent of their national budget. But years later, I think it is only Mauritius that has done that.
“Some countries and states have reduced their health budgets. Some increased theirs, but only a few countries were able to make that much of an increase. Now, in Nigeria, where the declaration was made, nothing much has been done. This year, it was 4.6 or so. Last year, it was 4.7. That is not so much. Until we do that, we will be having problems with health.
“I want to appeal to the representative of the First Lady, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, to help us tell her that in Lagos, we want to achieve 15 per cent health budget. In Abia, it was 15 per cent. In Bauchi, it was over 15 per cent. In Yobe, they allocated more than 15 per cent. It is also the same in Kaduna. I remember that some years back, we went as far as 8 or 9 per cent and even promised to hit the figure, although we know that there are competing priorities, health must be number one.”
On his part, National President of NMA, Prof Bala Audu, represented by Chairman of NMA Lagos, Dr Babajide Saheed, in his remarks, lamented the rate at which experienced and skilled healthcare professionals, were leaving Nigeria for opportunities abroad.
Audu said: “This mass exodus, known as brain drain, is merely a symptom of individual decisions. It is a consequence of a system that fails to offer fair compensation for career fulfillment. Fair remuneration is more than just a salary figure, it is a recognition of our value, a moivator for excellence and a safeguard against burnout. In any industry, but particularly in healthcare, adequate compensation reflects the time, emotional energy and personal commitment healthcare professionals invest. When a healthcare worker is remunerated fairly and equitably, they feel valued and respected. This respect, in turn, fuels dedication, strengthens their commitment to patient care and fortifies the larger health ecosystem.”
