Medical doctors in Ondo State have raised alarm over the worsening state of healthcare delivery, blaming it on the mass exodus of professionals and poor welfare conditions, while issuing a two-week ultimatum to the state government.
Speaking at a press conference in Akure, the Chairman of the Ondo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Muyiwa Alonge, said the situation has become critical, with remaining doctors now carrying overwhelming workloads.
“This is the reality we face: Because of the ‘Japa Syndrome’, too many doctors have left the system. Those of us remaining now do the work of five people. Doctors in the state service no longer have a life of their own,” he said.
Alonge noted that the shortage of personnel has forced some doctors to single-handedly run entire general hospitals, leaving them with little time for their families or professional development.
“They have no time for their families and no time for further professional growth as they are confined to providing services, sometimes permanently, at their workplace in situations where there is only one doctor in a whole General Hospital. These doctors overwork,” he added.
The NMA chairman also decried the poor state of infrastructure in public health facilities, revealing that doctors are often compelled to improvise due to lack of basic equipment.
“They are often made to use obsolete equipment to provide healthcare to the good people of Ondo State. In many instances, this equipment does not even exist and these doctors would have to improvise to ensure healthcare is still provided.
“We work daily in environments that are dilapidated and do not befit our status as doctors, yet we are paid with an old salary structure that cannot cope with today’s cost of living. Our members are stressed, exhausted, demoralized, and overworked,” he said.
Alonge further disclosed that despite several engagements with the government, including letters and meetings, no meaningful progress has been made.
“We have not rushed to the media. We have made several efforts to ensure the Government attends to our request. Ondo NMA presented a carefully prepared ‘Position Paper’ that could be a useful document for revitalising the moribund state of health care but there is no evidence that this is being implemented.
“We wrote to the Government on the 24th November 2025, 2nd December 2025, and 8th January 2026 with respect to these circulars. We held several meetings with His Excellency and other key officials of Government. We appealed. Nothing has changed,” he stated.
The association is demanding the immediate implementation of key Federal Government circulars on salary adjustments and accoutrement allowance, as well as payment of outstanding benefits, warning that failure to act could lead to a withdrawal of services.