OOUTH Resident Doctors Demand ₦1 Million Minimum Monthly Salary to Combat Brain Drain

 The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, has called on federal and state governments to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria's health sector.

The association demands a baseline monthly salary of ₦1 million for medical doctors nationwide to account for current macroeconomic realities.

The advocacy was presented by the ARD President, Dr. John Omotoso, during a graduation address to 71 newly minted medical practitioners.

The Disparity Driving the 'Japa' ExodusDr. Omotoso highlighted a massive wage disparity within the public service, noting that entry-level public medical officers currently earn between ₦250,000 and ₦300,000 monthly.

He pointed out that this entry wage is heavily outmatched by the inflation rate and the compensation structure of political office holders.

"Given the reality of our present economy, no medical doctor should earn less than ₦1 million per month," Dr. Omotoso stated.

"An average politician even takes this amount as an allowance. The government must always understand that poorly motivated employees may not give their very best."According to the association, this continuous under-remuneration directly fuels the Japa syndrome—the mass migration of highly trained medical doctors and allied health professionals to Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

This relentless brain drain has left local public hospitals severely short-staffed, directly threatening healthcare delivery across Nigeria.