From Suleiman Shafa, Sokoto
The Medical and Dental Specialists Association in Basic Medical Sciences (MeDSABAMS) has raised alarm over what it describes as an impending collapse in Nigeria’s health and medical education sectors, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene promptly.
This call follows the 21-day ultimatum issued by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on July 2, 2025, demanding the reversal of a controversial circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), dated June 27.
MeDSABAMS, a key affiliate of the NMA, represents specialist medical and dental doctors in basic and clinical sciences in Nigerian universities. In a press statement jointly signed by its National President, Professor Abdulgafar O. Jimoh, and National Secretary-General, Dr. John C. Anionye, the association expressed deep concern over the new wage directive, calling it “misguided, unilateral, and counterproductive.”
The group said that Nigeria is already grappling with a growing exodus of medical professionals both clinical and academic as a result of poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, and a lack of incentives to stay in the country.
According to MeDSABAMS, medical academics in universities face a double burden of the loss of professional allowances and an increased workload due to rising medical school admissions.
“It is like placing the cart before the horse,” the statement reads, describing how medical lecturers are now expected to train more students without corresponding improvements in welfare or incentives.
MeDSABAMS emphasized that the controversial circular not only contradicts previous collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with the NMA but also risks destabilizing fragile industrial harmony in the health and education sectors.
“The NSIWC’s action undermines hard-earned concessions reached over the years through painstaking negotiations, despite prior engagements, the circular was crafted in a way that deliberately excludes medical and dental academics from receiving professional allowances.”
In full solidarity with the NMA, MeDSABAMS declared total support for the association’s 21-day ultimatum and nineteen-point demand, stating that these grievances, if unresolved, could trigger widespread industrial action.
They re-emphasized the demands by MeDSABAMS including the withdrawal of the NSIWC circular on medical allowances, correction of salary relativity in line with CBAs from 2001, 2009, and 2014, immediate payment of outstanding 25/35% CONMESS arrears owed to medical educators and inclusion of all doctors in excess workload and specialist allowances among others.
In addition, the group presented seven more specific demands aimed at addressing the dwindling number of medical lecturers in Nigerian universities. These include new allowances for demonstration duties, preclinical laboratory work, medical competency training, and academic research support.
The association warned that the country is on the verge of a total collapse in its medical education infrastructure if decisive action is not taken.
“We alert Nigerians that there is a serious dearth in medical and dental academics in our universities, we are open to dialogue, but make no mistake, MeDSABAMS stands fully with the NMA and is prepared to go the distance to ensure all our demands are met.”
The post Medical education on the brink, MeDSABAMS demands urgent intervention appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
