The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called for the implementation of a living wage for doctors and all healthcare workers in the country, arguing that the existing minimum wage framework is unsustainable.
The association made this declaration during its 14th Biennial Delegates’ Meeting and Scientific Conference, held in Enugu. The conference theme, “Otanisi Psychosis: The Mental Health Implications of the Dwindling Socio-Economic Fortunes of Nigerians,” highlighted the severe impact of the nation’s economic challenges on both healthcare delivery and the overall well-being of citizens.
MDCAN’s National President, Professor Muhammed A. Mohammed, directly linked the mass migration of medical professionals, popularly known as the “japa” syndrome, to Nigeria’s deteriorating economic climate.
He identified poor remuneration and significant infrastructural decay in healthcare facilities as primary push factors driving this exodus. While acknowledging that human migration is a historical constant, Professor Mohammed emphasised that the current wave is distinct due to its multifactorial causes, which include pervasive insecurity and critically low welfare conditions.
The association contends that a fundamental shift in approach is required. Instead of a minimum wage, they advocate for a living wage that would enable healthcare workers to thrive, not merely survive, amidst the rising cost of living. MDCAN urged the government to view improved remuneration and working conditions as a crucial patriotic investment in the nation’s health sector. Such measures, they believe, are essential not only for retaining current professionals but also for potentially encouraging those who have left to return, thereby strengthening the country’s fragile healthcare system.
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cc: Daily Post NG
