The Nigeria Medical Association's Lagos branch has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reinstate doctors' salaries to pre-April 2025 levels, rejecting recent deductions and criticizing the federal government's health budget as insufficient to meet national needs.

During a media briefing Monday tied to its 2025 Annual General Meeting and Conference, NMA Lagos Chairman Dr. Babajide Kehinde labeled the salary cuts unacceptable given the heavy workloads and economic pressures facing medical professionals. "We call on the governor to ensure the salary of members in the employment of the state is restored to the pre-April 2025 salary," Kehinde said, noting that while doctors deserve more, the prior structure should serve as the minimum starting September 2025.

The association also voiced frustration with the federal government's handling of national demands, including the lack of call duty meals at Lagos University Teaching Hospital and unpaid skipping arrears. Kehinde condemned the "illegal acting capacity" of Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye as Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Yaba, insisting on adherence to proper appointment procedures.

Further demands include raising the minimum wage for doctors and other health workers, and limiting chief medical directors and medical directors of tertiary hospitals to a single five-year term to enhance accountability and curb office abuse. The conference theme, "A Critical Appraisal of Nigeria’s Budgetary Allocations to Health: Negotiating for Better Medical Salary Scale and Relativity for Medical Doctors," underscored concerns over the 2025 health budget of N2.48 trillion, or 5.18 percent of total spending – well below the 15 percent Abuja Declaration target.

Kehinde highlighted how inadequate funding and salary disparities with other healthcare roles are straining industrial relations and driving professionals abroad. "We call on government at all levels to prioritise healthcare funding, sustain salary relativity, and create a conducive environment for medical practice," he added, affirming the association's readiness for constructive engagement but firm action if needed to protect the profession and ensure quality care.