Nigeria’s Doctors Deserve Living Wage, Not Minimum Wage – MDCAN Warns as Economic Hardship Worsens

Story: written by springnewsng September 5,2025
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called on the federal government to prioritize a living wage for doctors and other healthcare workers, warning that Nigeria’s worsening economic crisis is crippling healthcare delivery.

Speaking at the association’s 14th Biennial Delegates’ Meeting and Scientific Conference in Enugu, MDCAN President, Prof. Muhammed A. Mohammed, said the country’s economic downturn, poor remuneration, and infrastructural decay were driving mass migration of doctors abroad in what is widely known as the “japa syndrome.”

“Remuneration, which is key, must be increased. Not just for consultants or doctors alone, but for all healthcare workers. Nigerian doctors deserve a living wage, not just minimum wage,” Mohammed emphasized, noting that poor welfare and insecurity are among the biggest push factors.

The conference, themed “Otanisi Psychosis: The Mental Health Implications of the Dwindling Socio-Economic Fortunes of Nigerians,” examined the impact of economic hardship on both healthcare workers and citizens.

Representing the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Medical and Allied Health Sciences, Enugu State, said the federal government is addressing the shortfall in medical personnel by doubling admissions into medical schools to train more doctors without compromising quality.

In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Prof. Obinna Onodugo, urged members to work together to strengthen the nation’s healthcare system.

Traditional leaders also applauded MDCAN for its free medical outreach in communities. The Grand Patron of the Enugu Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Igwe Sir F.O. Nwatu, described the intervention as “massively unprecedented.”

Prof. Apollos Chidi Ndukuba, MDCAN Vice President I and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, compared Nigeria’s present economic hardship to the austerity era of the 1980s, noting that the suffering has created psychological stress among citizens.

Similarly, UNTH MDCAN Chairman, Dr. Uchenna Dilibe, said the economic downturn has pushed many Nigerians into depression, irrational behavior, and even suicide. He stressed that improved welfare, upgraded hospital infrastructure, and better pay are essential to retain medical professionals and protect citizens’ mental health.