NMA Condemns Saint Lucia Deal, Calls Exporting Doctors Without Welfare Support ‘Inexcusable’

 The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on July 4, 2025, criticized a recent agreement with Saint Lucia to export 500 doctors, labeling it “inexcusable” given the government’s neglect of healthcare workers’ welfare. 

In a statement, NMA President Dr. Uche Ojinmah highlighted the irony of sending professionals abroad while 60% of Nigeria’s 40,000 doctors face unpaid salaries and poor working conditions, with 20% emigrating since 2023. The deal, signed on June 30, offers Saint Lucia $2 million annually for medical staffing, but the NMA demands a N50 billion welfare fund.

The association pointed to a 30% rise in patient mortality due to doctor shortages, with 10,000 health facilities understaffed. The Saint Lucia agreement, part of a broader $10 million Caribbean initiative, includes training, but the NMA argues it lacks local reinvestment plans. 

Health Minister Muhammad Pate defended the deal as a $5 million revenue boost, promising 1,000 new hires by 2026. Critics, representing 70% of medical unions, call it a “brain drain accelerator,” with protests planned for July 8 in Abuja, demanding better pay and 5,000 residency slots.