The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has criticised the Federal Government’s agreement to deploy Nigerian doctors and healthcare workers to Saint Lucia, warning that the move could worsen Nigeria’s brain drain and further cripple an already struggling healthcare system.
In a strongly worded statement issued Thursday in Lagos, NMA Secretary-General, Dr. Ben Egbo, said the agreement contradicts the government’s failure to address the persistent neglect and poor working conditions facing Nigerian doctors.
“We consider this move a deeply troubling contradiction and an attempt to bolster Nigeria’s international image while failing to meet the basic obligations owed to doctors at home who are toiling hard to serve Nigeria,” Dr. Egbo said.
He cited a long list of unresolved issues within Nigeria’s healthcare sector, including:
- Delayed payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF)
- Non-implementation of agreed welfare packages
- Poor working conditions with inadequate risk allowances
- Inconsistent application of the CONMESS salary structure
Dr. Egbo warned that these unresolved issues have led to widespread burnout, stress, and even deaths among doctors ultimately resulting in higher morbidity and mortality rates among the Nigerian population.
While acknowledging the value of international partnerships, the NMA raised ethical concerns over exporting doctors to foreign nations where they would earn significantly more than their colleagues in Nigeria.
He revealed that while Saint Lucia’s highest-paid doctors earn up to ₦131.7 million per year, the Nigerian government’s proposed salary for those deployed there is ₦40.8 million over three times more than the ₦11.9 million average earned by doctors working in Nigeria.
“Exporting doctors while undermining their welfare at home is inexcusable,” Egbo stated.
The doctor deployment arrangement was formalised through a Technical Manpower Assistance (TMA) agreement signed in Castries, Saint Lucia, by Yusuf Yakub, Director-General of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps, and Janelle Modeste-Stephen, Saint Lucia’s acting Permanent Secretary.
The deal is part of broader bilateral efforts initiated during President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to the Caribbean, aimed at enhancing diplomatic, economic, and educational ties between Nigeria and Saint Lucia.
While the initiative aligns with President Tinubu’s vision of cultural and academic cooperation, the NMA’s reaction highlights growing domestic anxiety over the sustainability of Nigeria’s healthcare workforce, especially as more doctors seek opportunities abroad.
