The President of the Association of Resident Doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Dr John Omotoso, has decried the poor remuneration and harsh working conditions faced by health workers in Nigeria, insisting that the least-paid doctor in the country should earn no less than N1m monthly.
Omotoso made the call on Monday while speaking with journalists during the 32nd induction ceremony of medical graduates into the Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences Medical Alumni Association of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. He lamented that the continuous exodus of medical professionals from Nigeria was steadily weakening the nation’s healthcare system, warning that urgent intervention was needed to prevent a complete collapse of critical health services.
According to him, poor welfare packages, inadequate remuneration, stressful working conditions, and lack of modern facilities have forced many Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals to seek better opportunities abroad. Omotoso stated that unless government at all levels takes immediate and deliberate action to improve the welfare of health workers, the country may soon face an even more severe shortage of medical personnel in hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
“The least-paid doctor in Nigeria should not be earning less than N1m per month considering the enormous responsibilities they shoulder and the economic realities in the country,” he said. He explained that doctors spend several years undergoing rigorous training and are expected to work under highly demanding conditions, often with inadequate equipment and manpower.
The resident doctors’ president noted that despite the sacrifices made by healthcare workers, many of them still struggle with poor salaries, delayed payments, burnout, and insufficient support from authorities. He said the situation has contributed significantly to the increasing migration of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists to countries offering better salaries and improved working conditions.
According to him, the “Japa” trend among healthcare professionals has now become alarming, with many young doctors already planning to leave the country shortly after completing their training. Omotoso warned that the consequence of the mass migration is already being felt across public hospitals, where the shortage of personnel has increased workloads on the few available doctors and negatively affected patient care.
He added that many hospitals now operate with skeletal staff, forcing doctors to attend to overwhelming numbers of patients daily. “The far-reaching effect of this exodus is an acute shortage of medical personnel in health facilities. The few available doctors are overworked, stressed, and expected to deliver quality healthcare under difficult conditions,” he stated.
He stressed that improving salaries alone would not completely solve the crisis, but said it would serve as a major incentive for healthcare professionals to remain in the country. Omotoso also called for improved investment in medical infrastructure, regular recruitment of health workers, provision of modern equipment, and better welfare policies to strengthen the nation’s healthcare sector. He urged governments to prioritise healthcare funding and treat the welfare of medical professionals as a national emergency.
Speaking on the induction of new graduates into the alumni association, Omotoso congratulated the young doctors and encouraged them to remain committed to professionalism, integrity, and service to humanity despite the challenges in the sector. He also advised them to continue upgrading their skills and knowledge in order to meet the evolving demands of medical practice globally.
The induction ceremony attracted medical professionals, academics, alumni members, and families of graduating students who gathered to celebrate the new entrants into the medical profession. Some stakeholders at the event also echoed concerns over the deteriorating state of the healthcare system, calling on the Federal Government and relevant authorities to urgently address the recurring industrial disputes, manpower shortages, and inadequate funding affecting the sector.
They warned that if urgent reforms are not implemented, more Nigerians may be forced to seek expensive medical treatment abroad while ordinary citizens continue to struggle with limited access to quality healthcare at home. The stakeholders further noted that retaining skilled healthcare workers is essential to improving healthcare delivery and achieving better health outcomes for Nigerians.
Omotoso concluded by urging policymakers to engage medical associations and healthcare stakeholders in developing long-term strategies capable of reversing the brain drain and rebuilding confidence in the country’s health sector.
