The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called for a living wage for doctors and other health workers, stressing that the current minimum wage is unsustainable in the face of Nigeria’s worsening economic situation.

The association warned that the nation’s declining economy is taking a toll on healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of citizens.

This concern was raised on Thursday at its 14th Biennial Delegates’ Meeting and Scientific Conference held in Enugu, themed: “Otanisi Psychosis: The Mental Health Implications of the Dwindling Socio-Economic Fortunes of Nigerians.”

MDCAN’s National President, Prof. Muhammed A. Mohammed, linked the mass exodus of medical personnel to poor remuneration and infrastructural decay in Nigeria’s hospitals, both consequences of the country’s economic downturn.

He emphasized that while human migration is not new, the current “japa” wave is fueled by multiple factors, including insecurity and inadequate welfare.

“We advocate for improved remuneration, not just for consultants or doctors, but for all healthcare workers,” he said, urging the government to see a living wage as a patriotic investment that could also encourage the return of those who have left.

Representing the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Medical and Allied Health Sciences, Enugu, noted that the federal government was addressing the shortage of medical professionals by doubling admission quotas in medical schools and strengthening training capacity.

In his remarks, Prof. Obinna Onodugo, Chief Medical Director of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku Ozalla, encouraged MDCAN members to work collectively for improved healthcare services.

The Grand Patron of the Enugu Council of Traditional Rulers and Traditional Ruler of Ihuokpara Community, H.R.M. Igwe Sir F.O. Nwatu, expressed appreciation to MDCAN for organizing a free medical outreach in his community, describing the intervention as unprecedented.

Prof. Apollos Chidi Ndukuba, MDCAN Vice President I and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, compared the current economic hardship to the austerity era of the 1980s, explaining that the conference theme “Otanisi Psychosis” was chosen to highlight the mental health implications of today’s economic decline.

Also speaking, Dr. Uchenna Dilibe, Chairman of MDCAN at UNTH, Ituku Ozalla, said the theme was carefully selected to reflect the reality of Nigeria’s economic downturn, which has led to irrational behavior and, in some cases, suicides.

He further called on government to address infrastructural deficits in public hospitals and improve welfare for health professionals to enhance service delivery.