NMA Slams FG Over Saint Lucia Medical Deal, Labels It “Contradictory, Unacceptable”

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has strongly criticized the Federal Government’s recent agreement to deploy Nigerian doctors and healthcare workers to the Caribbean nation of Saint Lucia, describing the move as “a contradiction and wholly unacceptable” in the face of a deepening healthcare crisis at home.

According to the NMA, the deal exposes the government’s failure to adequately address the deteriorating conditions within the Nigerian health system, where doctors are underpaid, overworked, and fleeing the country in droves due to poor remuneration and lack of infrastructure.

Under the arrangement, Nigerian doctors seconded to Saint Lucia will reportedly earn up to ₦40.8 million annually, a stark contrast to the average ₦11.9 million earned by their counterparts working within Nigeria.

The significant pay disparity, the NMA argues, is proof that the government is capable of offering better conditions but has chosen not to invest in the local healthcare sector.

“This move by the government is not just contradictory, but it sends a very dangerous message. At a time when our hospitals are short-staffed and health workers are leaving in droves, the government is exporting the same professionals it has failed to retain,” a senior NMA official said in a statement on Thursday.

The Association called on the Federal Government to immediately halt the initiative and instead redirect efforts toward improving domestic healthcare infrastructure, enhancing staff welfare, and implementing policies that would stem the brain drain.

The NMA further warned that if the government continues to pursue such external partnerships while ignoring the decay at home, it risks a total collapse of the nation’s healthcare system.