The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has voiced concerns over the Federal Government’s agreement to send Nigerian doctors and healthcare professionals to Saint Lucia, warning that the move could worsen the country’s ongoing brain drain crisis and negatively impact healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
In a statement released on Thursday in Lagos, NMA Secretary-General Dr. Ben Egbo criticised the timing of the agreement, pointing out that Nigerian doctors continue to face systemic neglect, poor remuneration, and withheld allowances at home. He also highlighted a recent controversial salary circular, which he said undermines doctors’ welfare and professional dignity.
“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 detailed the challenges faced by doctors in Nigeria, including delayed payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), non-implementation of agreed welfare packages, hazardous working conditions without adequate risk allowances, and inconsistent application of the CONMESS salary structure. According to him, these conditions have led to burnout, stress, chronic illnesses, and even death among doctors, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality for the Nigerian population.
While acknowledging the importance of regional cooperation and international engagement, Dr. Egbo questioned the ethics of exporting healthcare workers to foreign countries where they would earn significantly higher salaries. He noted that the Saint Lucia government reportedly pays its highest-earning doctors N131.7 million per year, compared to the Nigerian government’s proposed payment of N40.8 million per annum to Nigerian doctors deployed there. In contrast, doctors working within Nigeria reportedly earn about N11.9 million per year.
“Exporting doctors while undermining their welfare at home is inexcusable,” Dr. Egbo stated.
The 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. This agreement is part of broader bilateral cooperation efforts initiated during President Bola Tinubu’s recent tour of the Caribbean and South America, aimed at strengthening diplomatic, economic, and educational ties between Nigeria and Saint Lucia.
President Tinubu’s visit also sought to promote cultural and academic partnerships through high-level engagements and institutional collaborations. However, the NMA’s response underscores domestic concerns about the sustainability of Nigeria’s healthcare workforce amid ongoing challenges faced by medical professionals within the country.
