The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), University of Ilorin branch, has declared its full support for the 21-day notice of industrial action issued by Nigerian doctors, urging the Federal Government to resolve outstanding financial and welfare demands to prevent a total collapse of healthcare delivery.
The endorsement by the academic arm of the medical profession adds significant weight to the looming strike, as it signals a unified front between clinical practitioners and the medical educators responsible for training the next generation of physicians. The move comes amid a period of heightened tension between healthcare professionals and the Federal Government over the implementation of revised salary structures and unpaid allowances.
The University of Ilorin branch of NAMDA stated that the grievances of the doctors are justified, citing the deteriorating working conditions and the failure of the government to honour previous agreements. By backing the strike notice, the association is calling on the government to offset all outstanding debts owed to medical practitioners before the 21-day window expires.
The core of the labor dispute
The current unrest is rooted in a long-standing dispute over the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and other welfare packages. Nigerian doctors have consistently complained that their remuneration has failed to keep pace with the country’s skyrocketing inflation and the devaluation of the naira, which has eroded the real value of their earnings.
Key demands typically include the payment of outstanding hazard allowances, the regularisation of promotions, and the full implementation of salary increments agreed upon in previous negotiations. For many doctors, these are not merely financial requests but essential requirements for maintaining a basic standard of living while working in high-stress, high-risk environments.
The involvement of NAMDA is particularly critical because these professionals operate at the intersection of healthcare and academia. A strike involving both the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and NAMDA does not only halt patient care in teaching hospitals but also freezes medical education and research, creating a double blow to the nation’s health infrastructure.
The impact on University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital
The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) serves as a primary healthcare hub for Kwara State and surrounding regions. An industrial action by both clinical doctors and medical academics would effectively paralyze the institution. Such a shutdown typically results in the cancellation of elective surgeries, the suspension of outpatient clinics, and the disruption of medical student rotations.
While emergency services are usually maintained during medical strikes to avoid total loss of life, the quality and availability of specialized care drop precipitously. The burden then shifts to private clinics, which many Nigerians cannot afford, or to already overburdened primary healthcare centers that lack the equipment and expertise to handle complex cases.
The brain drain catalyst
This labor dispute occurs against the backdrop of an unprecedented exodus of medical talent from Nigeria, often referred to as the “Japa” phenomenon. The combination of poor pay, inadequate infrastructure, and frequent industrial unrest has driven thousands of Nigerian-trained doctors to seek employment in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Australia.
The NMA has previously warned that Nigeria is losing its workforce at a rate that far exceeds its capacity to train new doctors. When the government fails to resolve salary disputes or implement promised welfare packages, it reinforces the narrative that the medical profession is undervalued in Nigeria. This accelerates the migration of consultants and senior residents, leaving teaching hospitals staffed by junior doctors who are often overworked and under-supported.
The decision by NAMDA at the University of Ilorin to back the strike is a reflection of this systemic frustration. Academic doctors, who are expected to maintain global research standards while providing clinical care, find it increasingly impossible to do so without competitive compensation and functional laboratories.
Public finance and the cost of inaction
From a public finance perspective, the Federal Government faces a difficult trade-off. While the treasury is under pressure from debt servicing and infrastructure spending, the cost of failing to pay medical arrears is potentially higher in the long term. The loss of a trained consultant doctor represents a significant loss of public investment in education and training.
Furthermore, the resulting decline in public health outcomes increases the cost of healthcare for the state. When the public sector fails, the government often sees a rise in the prevalence of untreated chronic conditions, which eventually require more expensive emergency interventions. There is also the issue of medical tourism, where wealthy Nigerians spend billions of naira annually seeking treatment abroad because the domestic system is unreliable.
Critics of the government’s approach argue that the failure to implement signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) has created a crisis of trust. In previous years, the government has frequently promised payments to end strikes, only to delay the disbursements once the doctors return to work. This cycle of “promise and default” has made current labor leaders less likely to accept vague assurances.
What happens next
The 21-day notice serves as a statutory warning period intended to give the Federal Government time to negotiate or fulfill its obligations. During this window, the NMA and supporting bodies like NAMDA typically engage in high-level meetings with the Ministry of Health and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
If the government fails to provide a concrete payment plan or a verifiable commitment to offset the debts, the strike will likely commence. The scale of the action will depend on how many other branches of NAMDA and NMA across the federation join the University of Ilorin’s lead.
For the government to avoid a healthcare shutdown, it will need to move beyond rhetoric and provide evidence of fund allocation. The current economic climate makes this challenging, but the alternative—a crippled healthcare system and an accelerated brain drain—poses a more significant risk to national security and economic productivity.
The healthcare sector remains one of the most volatile areas of Nigerian public service, where the gap between professional requirements and government provision continues to widen. The UniIlorin NAMDA endorsement is a clear signal that the patience of medical professionals has reached its limit.
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