The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has issued a strong rebuke of the Federal Government's performance in the health sector throughout 2025, labeling it as poorly managed and disappointing. In a New Year assessment, the doctors' body outlined critical areas requiring urgent government attention to salvage the nation's ailing healthcare system.
A Year of Failures and Neglect
Dr. Saheed Kehinde, the Chairman of the NMA in Lagos State, did not mince words in his evaluation. He stated that the year was characterized by a lack of focus and priority from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. This situation, he argued, was exacerbated by insufficient commitment from President Bola Tinubu himself towards improving healthcare delivery for citizens.
Kehinde described the government's apparent disinterest in tackling the mass exodus of medical professionals, known as the 'Japa syndrome,' as particularly egregious. He identified poor remuneration, weak welfare packages, and inadequate training opportunities as the primary forces driving healthcare workers out of Nigeria. Furthermore, he criticized the government's handling of industrial disputes, noting that poorly managed strikes repeatedly left citizens without access to essential medical services.
The NMA chairman also took aim at the Health Minister, Prof. Muhammad Pate, accusing him of prioritizing data collection and international engagements over strengthening the core healthcare delivery system. This, combined with persistently low health indices, weak universal health coverage, and poor insurance penetration, has made healthcare largely inaccessible and unaffordable for many Nigerians.
Critical Challenges and a Glimmer of Hope
The association highlighted a cascade of systemic issues plaguing the sector:
- High Cost of Care: Soaring prices for drugs, medical equipment, and consumables.
- Infrastructure Deficit: Unreliable power supply in health institutions nationwide.
- Chronic Underfunding: Budgetary allocation to health remains far below the 15% target pledged in the Abuja Declaration.
- Weak Primary Healthcare: Continued neglect of the foundational level of care.
Despite the harsh critique, Dr. Kehinde acknowledged a fair improvement in infrastructural development, particularly in the construction and rehabilitation of some health facilities across the country.
NMA's Blueprint for a Healthier 2026
The medical association presented a comprehensive list of demands and recommendations for the Federal Government to act upon in 2026. Central to this is an urgent need to address the welfare of healthcare workers to stem the brain drain.
To retain skilled professionals, the NMA demands better living wages, affordable housing and car loans, regular training, and clear career progression paths. It also called for making call duty allowances non-taxable and improving security within hospitals to reduce workplace violence and burnout.
For the general populace, the NMA urges policies to make healthcare more accessible and affordable. This includes:
- Revamping the health insurance scheme to broaden coverage and reduce premiums.
- Lowering tariffs on imported medical equipment and consumables.
- Implementing the extended retirement age for healthcare workers.
- Strengthening collaboration between public and private hospitals.
On financing, the association insisted the health budget must be increased to 15% in line with the Abuja Declaration, with funds utilized transparently and without corruption. It also advised the Health Minister to redirect focus from mere research to tangible system strengthening and to adopt a more respectful approach to resolving disputes with health unions.
Finally, the NMA called for the establishment of specialist hospitals, including infectious disease centers, across the six geopolitical zones to improve national preparedness and service delivery.
