The Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has faulted the State Treasury Office (STO) over a “crisis-inducing” adjustment to the medical salary structure, which it says led to “unjust and unacceptable” deductions from doctors’ July 2025 earnings.
In a Sunday statement, chairman Dr Saheed Babajide Kehinde said the matter has persisted despite multiple efforts to resolve it, including a three-day warning strike by the Medical Guild, which represents doctors in the state’s public health sector.
The NMA stated that the STO’s revised salary arrangement threatens the welfare and professional standing of medical and dental workers in state-owned facilities.
The body cautioned that failure to reverse the deductions could prompt an indefinite strike that would disrupt services across government hospitals.
“It is regrettable that despite all measures to avert disruption in healthcare services, including the three-day warning strike, the relevant ministries, departments, and agencies appear indifferent to the Medical Guild’s notice of an impending indefinite strike,” the statement read.
It called on the Commissioner for Health and all Permanent Secretaries in the health sector to protect the “integrity, dignity, security, and welfare” of doctors in Lagos.
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The association further warned that if the strike is carried out, responsibility would fall on the state’s health leadership “for failing to ensure the refund of the illegal deductions from July 2025 salaries.”
Members were urged to compare their July payslips with the STO’s adjusted pay scale, as the policy could worsen the “Japa” trend the migration of Nigerian health professionals seeking better conditions abroad.
“Enough of the inaction by members of the medical profession at the helm of Lagos State’s health sector.
NMA Lagos remains unwavering in its demand for the return of all unlawfully deducted funds,” the statement added.