NMA decries health sector performance, outlines priorities for 2026

By : Ijeoma Nwanosike

Date: 1 January 2026 3:16am WAT

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Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Lagos State branch has criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the health sector in 2025, calling it unacceptable and poorly managed.

The association stressed the urgent need for improved healthcare delivery, better welfare and remuneration for health workers, strengthened primary healthcare, and policies that make medical services more accessible and affordable for Nigerians.

The NMA Chairman, Lagos State Branch, Dr Saheed Kehinde, said the year had been marked by a lack of focus and priority within the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and this situation had been worsened by insufficient commitment to healthcare delivery by President Bola Tinubu.

Kehinde described the situation as unfortunate, unacceptable and disappointing. According to him, the Federal Government in 2025 showed a complete lack of interest in addressing the growing emigration of healthcare workers from the country. He said poor remuneration, weak welfare packages, and inadequate training and retraining opportunities had continued to push health professionals out of the system.

He also faulted the Federal Government’s handling of strike actions by health sector associations, noting that disputes were poorly managed, often to the detriment of citizens who were left without access to care. He said the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, appeared to place more emphasis on data collection, research activities and engagement with international partners, rather than prioritising the core healthcare delivery system.

NMA Chairman further pointed to persistently low health indices, weak universal health coverage, poor health insurance penetration and the high cost of healthcare as major challenges. He said healthcare services remained largely inaccessible and unaffordable to many Nigerians, particularly in relation to the cost of drugs, medical materials and equipment.

Other concerns raised included poor attention to the primary healthcare system, low budgetary allocation and financing for health, as well as unreliable power supply in health institutions across the country.

While critical of the overall performance, Kehinde acknowledged some positive developments, noting that there had been fair improvement in infrastructural development, particularly in the construction and rehabilitation of health facilities.

The association said the Federal Government must place greater focus on improving the welfare of healthcare workers, starting with better living wages and remuneration. He said addressing the Japa syndrome should be a priority, through improved pay, stronger welfare packages, affordable housing loans and mortgages, access to car loans, regular training and retraining, better career progression and the provision of necessary equipment and tools for effective practice.

He also called for policies that positively impact both healthcare workers and citizens, including opportunities for overseas training, the creation of a more conducive working environment, and measures to stop assaults on healthcare workers.

Other recommendations included making call duty allowances non-taxable and improving security within health facilities to reduce stress, burnout and workplace violence.

Kehinde stressed the need to make healthcare more accessible, affordable and of better quality for Nigerians, urging improvements in universal health coverage and health insurance in terms of coverage, scope, premiums and policy design. He said reducing the cost of healthcare would require lowering tariffs on medical equipment and consumables, as well as reducing drug prices.

He further advocated the implementation of the extension of the retirement age for healthcare workers, renewed focus on strengthening the primary healthcare system, and stronger collaboration between government and private hospitals to reduce mortality and improve access to care.

On infrastructure and financing, Kehinde called for improved power supply to health institutions and urged the Federal Government to review health sector budgetary allocation from the current level to 15 per cent, in line with the Abuja Declaration. He also emphasised that funds allocated to health must be used efficiently and transparently, without corruption.

He advised the Minister of Health and Social Welfare to redirect attention towards strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system, rather than concentrating mainly on research and limited infrastructural projects in a few hospitals.

He also urged the minister to adopt a more respectful and inclusive approach to resolving industrial disputes, saying avoidable strike actions had repeatedly denied citizens access to healthcare, as seen during past strikes by the National Association of Resident Doctors.

The chairman called on the Federal Government to establish different categories of specialist hospitals across the six geopolitical zones, including infectious disease hospitals, as part of efforts to strengthen the health system and improve preparedness and service delivery nationwide.

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