The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kwara State chapter, has rejected the recent review of allowances for medical and dental officers by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), warning it could trigger a healthcare crisis.
Speaking at a press conference in Ilorin, State NMA Chairman, Prof. AbdulRahman Afolabi, described the NSIWC circular dated June 27, 2025, as flawed and unacceptable. He said the revised allowance structure, though presented as an adjustment to the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), actually undermines key wage relativity agreements established in 2001, 2009, and 2014.
“The new circular not only disregards established agreements but also worsens existing disparities in the medical workforce,” he said. “It threatens morale, productivity, and could intensify the ongoing brain drain among medical professionals.”
Afolabi highlighted the already fragile state of Nigeria’s health system, noting that the doctor-to-patient ratio stands at a critical 1:5,000, far below the World Health Organisation’s standard of 1:600.
He warned that the circular, if implemented, could spark industrial unrest and deepen instability in the health sector. The Kwara NMA, he said, fully supports the 21-day ultimatum issued by the national body of the association, calling on the federal government to address long-standing welfare issues affecting doctors.
“We demand immediate suspension of the circular and call for a stakeholder roundtable to revisit and restore the principle of relativity in line with previous agreements,” Afolabi stated.
The association called for urgent intervention to avert further damage to the health system and ensure equitable treatment of medical professionals.
