By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Kwara Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has expressed concerns that healthcare workers in Nigeria face significant financial disparities, even within the same system.
The Chairman of NMA-Kwara branch, Prof. Abdulrahman Afolabi, stated this on Monday in Ilorin during a news conference organised as part of the activities of the 2024 Physician’s Week
The theme for the Physician Week is entitled: “Ensuring Universal Applicability in Renumeration: A Panacea to Talent Retention in the Healthcare System,”.
Similarly the sub-theme is entitled: “Mitigating the Impact of Infectious Diseases: Addressing the Monkeypox Outbreak and Beyond”.
Afolabi explained that pay structures vary widely depending on location, institution and cadre, creating a fragmented remuneration system that is neither sustainable nor competitive on a global scale.
According to him, many doctors and healthcare workers find themselves overworked and underpaid.
He said: “Inconsistency in salaries is evident not only across the country but even within similar healthcare or academic institutions.
“These disparities, most especially in the academia discourage young and talented healthcare professionals from entering or staying in the workforce ultimately exacerbating the burden on those who remain,” he said.
The NMA-Kwara chairman observed that globally, countries recognize the importance of fair remuneration and invest in competitive salary packages and attractive benefits to retain healthcare talents.
He appealed to government at all tiers to ensure uniform implementation of salary structure, the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
Speaking on the sub-theme, Afolabi explained that the African Union has declared Monkeypox diseases as a public health emergency.
He pointed out that Nigeria currently recorded about 42 cases across 16 states of the federation.
He described the disease as zoonotic, which is transmitted from animals to humans, adding that it is an orthopox virus with symptoms similar to Smallpox.
Afolabi disclosed that the physician week will dwell on the disease, the types, the spread modalities, symptoms, signs, investigation required and mode pf monitoring among others.
