The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State Branch, has warned that it will join forces with the Medical Guild to embark on an indefinite strike if the Lagos State Government fails to address lingering issues of unpaid salaries, arbitrary deductions, and neglect of doctors’ welfare.
The association issued the warning in a communiqué released after its Emergency General Meeting (EGM) held virtually on Friday, August 15, 2025, which was attended by members across cadres.
The meeting, presided over by NMA Lagos Chairman, Dr. Saheed Babajide Kehinde, and Secretary, Dr. O. J. Hassan, deliberated extensively on three major issues affecting doctors in the state: the 21-day ultimatum given to the Lagos State Government by the Medical Guild, non-provision of call duty meals at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and non-payment of skipping arrears to doctors in the same institution.
The association recalled that on April 23, 2025, the Lagos State Government, through its Ministry of Finance and State Treasury Office, made unauthorized deductions from doctors’ salaries. Though the deductions were refunded on April 30 after protests by the Medical Guild and NMA Lagos, the deductions reportedly reoccurred on July 23.
Following the deductions, the Medical Guild declared a three-day warning strike from July 28 to 30, but the July salaries have not been refunded till date.
Consequently, the Guild declared a 21-day ultimatum (August 5–25, 2025), demanding the refund of the July deductions and the full payment of August salaries.
The NMA Lagos expressed its full support for the Guild, warning that if the government fails to meet the demands by August 25, doctors under the Guild would commence an indefinite strike.
Furthermore, NMA Lagos vowed to embark on a solidarity strike two weeks after the Medical Guild downed tools, should the government remain unyielding.
The issue of welfare for doctors on call at LUTH also dominated discussions at the EGM.
According to the association, doctors in LUTH have not been provided with call duty meals for more than five years. During a courtesy visit to the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. AbdulWasiu Adeyemo, on February 11, 2025, the CMD reportedly stated that free meals would not be provided. Instead, he proposed a subsidized canteen system where meals would be sold to doctors, including those on call duty.
NMA Lagos strongly rejected the idea, insisting that call meals must be provided free of charge as a basic welfare entitlement for doctors on duty.
The association stressed that the issue would be reviewed in three weeks at its next General Congress, after the LUTH Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) holds its own congress.
Another grievance raised was the non-payment of skipping arrears to some doctors in LUTH, despite the fact that such payments had been made in other federal health institutions.
At the February courtesy visit, the CMD had directed the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), LUTH chapter, to compile a list of affected doctors and submit it to his office.
However, affected doctors continue to lament non-payment. NMA Lagos resolved that if the list compilation continues to drag, MDCAN should advise the CMD to rely on the previous records used by the Accounts Department when part-payments were made years ago.
The matter, the association added, will also be revisited at the next General Congress in three weeks.
In its conclusion, NMA Lagos commended members and affiliate leaders for their active participation in the EGM, but warned that patience was running out.
It called on the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, to urgently intervene and engage the relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure the immediate refund of July salary deductions, the full payment of August salaries, and a permanent end to “obnoxious and crisis-prone deductions.”
The association also restated its position that doctors deserve their wages and welfare benefits without compromise.