On Monday, July 28, 2025, Dr. Usman Haruna, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Jigawa State, expressed concern over the departure of 300 medical doctors from the state’s health service since February 2025, attributing the exodus to poor remuneration. Speaking at a press conference in Dutse, Haruna warned that Jigawa is losing talent to neighboring states and federal institutions offering competitive salaries based on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). He stated, “This haemorrhage of talent threatens the very foundation of our state’s healthcare system,” noting that the state’s 27 general hospitals and 305 primary healthcare centers are now critically understaffed, with only 450 doctors remaining, per NMA records.
Haruna blamed the delay by the state’s minimum wage implementation committee, inaugurated five months ago by Governor Umar Namadi, which failed to submit its report on salary adjustments, including entry point corrections, hazard allowances, and call duty rectifications, within the mandated two-week period. Despite the committee allegedly completing its work, the delay has fueled the mass exit, undermining Namadi’s healthcare achievements, such as the renovation of 105 primary healthcare centers and free maternal care programs. Haruna urged the immediate submission of the report to align Jigawa’s doctor salaries with federal standards, warning of further collapse in healthcare delivery. X posts from @DailyTrust on July 28, 2025, echoed the NMA’s call, with users like @HealthNG decrying the state’s loss of 40% of its medical workforce in six months.
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