Specialist doctors are leaving Nasarawa State

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has decried the exit of about 10 consultant physicians from the services of the Nasarawa State Government over poor staff welfare.

The NMA state chairman of the union, Bulu Umaru, made the disclosure while addressing journalists on Friday in Lafia.

Mr Umaru said that about 10 consultant physicians had left the service of the state government since June 2018.

According to him, some of the consultants were even leaving to take up jobs in neighbouring states with fewer salaries in order to guarantee their career progression.

Mr Umaru also cited high taxes above their counterparts elsewhere as one of the reasons for the mass exit of physicians from the state.

He noted that though the state government had performed excellently in providing infrastructure for the health sector, the issue of staff welfare had been very poor.

Mr Umaru said that doctors in the state were being owed over N400 million as arrears for corrected salary structure.

In terms of career progression, Mr Umaru said many doctors had been stagnated since 2012.

“The few doctors, who are fortunate to get promoted, it’s just on paper without cash backing,” he added.

Mr Umaru said the union had resolved to embark on a three-day warning strike to press their demands.

Meanwhile, Roseline Kela, the Commissioner of health, has said that the government was doing its best to address the demands of the doctors.

She noted that the government was working hard to reposition the health sector for the benefit of the people.

According to her, a committee chaired by the secretary to the state government had been set up to address the concerns of the doctors to avert industrial disharmony.

(NAN)