The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said it will not join the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over increased remuneration, insisting that doctors in Enugu State are already well-motivated and among the best-paid in the country.
Chairman of the NMA, Enugu State chapter, Dr. Sunday Okafor, stated this during a press conference marking the 2025 Physicians’ Week and the maiden Enugu South-East Regional Health Summit held in Enugu on Monday.
Okafor commended Governor Peter Mbah for prioritising the welfare of healthcare workers in the state, describing his commitment to improved remuneration and efficiency across the public health system as exemplary.
“It is on record that in the country, Enugu healthcare personnel are the highest paid, and as a parent body, we cannot disrupt health services in areas where the governor is actually doing well,” Okafor said.
“We allowed resident doctors in federal hospitals in the state to embark on strike because Mbah is motivating state health workers. The issue of the strike is poor remuneration and welfare, but we don’t have issues with the Enugu State Government in that regard,” he added.
The NMA chairman urged the Federal Government and other state governors to emulate Mbah by prioritising healthcare workers’ welfare to improve service delivery and prevent frequent industrial actions.
He also called on the Federal Government to resolve its dispute with resident doctors to enable them to resume work and attend to patients, stressing that shutting down the healthcare system causes widespread hardship.
Okafor further commended the governor for massive investments in healthcare infrastructure across the state, noting that the administration is constructing Type Two Primary Health Centres in all 260 electoral wards.
“NMA Enugu State has continued to partner with the government because when you see the vision of the leader, you complement his efforts,” he said.
Speaking on the theme of the 2025 Physicians’ Week, “Healthcare as a Value Chain – Building Efficiency from Policy to Patients,” Okafor emphasised the need for patient-centred policies to address health inequalities.
He added that the regional health summit would provide a platform for heads of health systems across the South-East to share experiences and innovations for improving healthcare delivery.
