Doctors kick over NMA’s alleged attempt to extort them for building construction
There is an ongoing war in Nigeria’s health sector.
At a time Nigeria is alarmingly running short of medical personnel due to government’s negligence on their welfare, the few ones who have remained behind are being sucked dry.
Doctors across the country are allegedly being forcefully made to pay for a building construction.
Neusroom gathered that the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) is allegedly asking that doctors part with N20,000 from their pay for the structure. This is despite that doctors in the country have continuously complained of being underpaid.
But the doctors have kicked over the payment that is allegedly set to be made compulsory.
A medical practitioner told our correspondent on Monday that the NMA, in a bid to make doctors comply with the directive, heinously connived with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
#StopNMA20kBuildingLevy what version of reality are NMA decision makers living… I’ve had to work 2weeks, 15hrs a day to earn that #20k. Annoying thing is they are Never anywhere to be found when you need them
— Oluchi Monyei (@luchi_monyei) December 2, 2018
We learnt that before the last day in December of every year, every doctor in the country has to renew his/her practicing license for the next year with MDCN, a regulatory body for doctors in Nigeria.
“So this year, before you can renew with MDCN, they make it mandatory to pay for a fraudulent fee of N20,000 for NMA,” the doctor, who preferred anonymity, told us.
“And to think that NMA already has a house in Abuja. So what is the building fee for exactly.”
Health minister Isaac Adewole said few months ago that as of May 30, 2018, a total of 88,692 doctors are registered in the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s books.
“Of these doctors, only 45,000 are currently practicing and that gives us a ratio one doctor to 4,088 persons,” Adewole had said.
We did the maths, if 45,000 doctors in Nigeria are forced to cough the money, nearly a billion Naira would have been realised for the building.
“Which building would cost N1 billion?” the doctor who spoke to us queried. “This is really outrageous. The fee is a fraud.”
Dear @nmanigeria , at a point where Nigerian doctors are leaving the country to practice elsewhere in unprecedented high numbers, you decide to DEMAND a levy to be paid for a building or else doctors wont be able to pay for their PRACTICING LICENSE?
Who advises you please….
— isichei chijioke (@chijiokeisichei) December 2, 2018
There has been continued exodus of medical practitioners from Nigeria in the past year, with fears that the moves to “escape” are not ending anytime soon.
Neusroom has reached out to NMA for comments. So far, no word back.
