Kwara doctors lament poor pay, illegal salary deductions

File photo: Nigerian Medical Association

The Nigeria Medical Association, Kwara State chapter, has raised the alarm over alleged illegal salary deductions, poor remuneration and severe manpower shortages in the state’s public hospitals, warning that the conditions are exposing doctors to excessive workloads and burnout.

The state chairman of the association, Dr Suleiman Rotimi, disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin at a news conference organised as part of activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week, themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria.”

Rotimi lamented that despite their critical role in the healthcare system, doctors in Kwara remained among the least paid in the country, with some facing monthly salary deductions running into tens of thousands of naira.

“The doctors are underpaid, overworked and over-deducted. Some doctors had between N30,000 and N50,000 deducted from their monthly salaries despite outstanding allowances and what he described as poor remuneration.”

The NMA chairman also expressed concern over staffing gaps in general hospitals, where the few available doctors were reportedly being compelled to work extended hours to meet patients’ needs.

He warned that the combination of inadequate staffing, poor welfare and excessive workloads could worsen fatigue and burnout among medical practitioners, with possible consequences for healthcare delivery.

Rotimi further highlighted the widening gap between the number of doctors available and the population requiring medical attention, saying the situation was particularly troubling in some parts of Kwara.

“Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio is about one doctor to more than 9,000 patients, with the situation worse in some parts of Kwara,” he said.

He added, “The recommendations from the World Health Organisation are one doctor to 600 patients.”

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Against this backdrop, the association urged the state government to urgently address doctors’ remuneration, outstanding allowances, alleged unauthorised deductions and poor working conditions to prevent further deterioration of the state’s healthcare services.

On the ongoing industrial dispute involving doctors in Kwara, Rotimi said the association had held engagements with the government and other stakeholders but remained willing to explore dialogue to resolve the issues.

“When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. The patients are the ones suffering from this,” he said, warning that the consequences of the dispute extended beyond the medical practitioners to patients who depend on public health facilities.

Beyond salary and staffing concerns, the NMA chairman called for stronger mental health support for doctors, confidential medical services and safer workplaces, stressing the need to protect healthcare professionals from violence and discrimination when seeking help.

He maintained that doctors should be able to access mental health services without fear of stigma, noting the importance of their psychological well-being to effective medical practice.

Rotimi also called for greater adoption of technology in healthcare, including telemedicine, artificial intelligence and robotics, arguing that such innovations could improve access to specialist services in underserved communities.

He explained that technological advancement should complement the work of medical professionals, with specialists able to provide guidance and maintain clinical oversight while reaching patients in areas with limited access to healthcare.

The association further urged the government to invest in doctors’ training, research opportunities and hospital infrastructure, alongside better remuneration and improved working conditions, as part of efforts to curb the migration of Nigerian doctors abroad.

Rotimi called for collective action by the government and other stakeholders to build a healthcare system in which medical practitioners could work under safe and dignified conditions while patients received quality care.