By Haruna Gimba
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called for the harmonisation of the salary structure of medical doctors across Nigeria to promote equity and even distribution of doctors across the country.
National President of the association, Professor Bala Muhammad Audu stated this while reading a communique at the end of the 2025 association’s Annual Delegates Conference and General Meeting held in Katsina State.
The theme of the Conference was “The Universal Applicability of Care Standards for Patients and the Wellbeing of Healthcare Providers.”
Prof. Audi said the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association has observed with concern the lack of universal applicability of the implementation of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and its consequential adjustment for doctors across the country.
He said the association frowned at the non-universal applicability, because it violates the principle of equity that allows even distribution of doctors across the country.
“The Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM) also observed the delay in the payment of the outstanding arrears of the consequential adjustment of CONMESS to doctors working in Federal Teaching Hospitals, and notes that the delay in payment is causing increasing agitation amongst members nationwide.
“The NEC resolved its commitment to ensuring that the universal applicability of CONMESS to all cadres of doctors working across all sectors in Nigeria is implemented across board and will continue to advocate and lobby all relevant stakeholders to ensure it is done,” part of the communique read.
The NMA President added that the NEC has frowned at the constant and continuous casualisation of appointment of Medical Doctors across various centres in the country, recognising that it is a recipe for worsening the brain drain syndrome Nigeria is currently experiencing.
The NEC also re-affirmed that health insurance remains a viable way of ensuring that all cadres of Nigerians including medical doctors have access to quality and affordable healthcare services in Nigeria.
Prof. Audu welcomed members to the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting and appreciated them for their cooperation in the last one year of his administration.
He further emphasised that NMA remains committed to ensuring that quality of care is improved across all the health systems and that the health system continues to improve remarkably to ensure quality healthcare services to the Nigerian populace.
Health Reporters Newspaper reports that the ceremony was graced by Past Presidents of the Association, Past Secretaries-General of the Association as well as many State Chairmen and Secretaries from the 36 states and the FCT, Abuja.
