The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Akwa Ibom State chapter, has threatened to withdraw doctors working at Ibom Multi-Specialist Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua, if their welfare continues to be neglected and salaries remain poor.

The resolution was reached during the association’s 2025 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Uyo.

Speaking with journalists, NMA State Chairman, Dr. Aniekan Peter, described the situation as unacceptable, lamenting that doctors in St. Luke’s Hospital receive what he called “slave salaries.”

“Doctors in Ibom Specialist Hospital have worked for years without salary increase or promotion. It’s unacceptable, and we will soon issue an ultimatum to withdraw services. In St. Luke’s Hospital, some doctors earn as low as ₦150,000 — that’s ridiculous,” he said.

The NMA urged the state government to set up committees that would ensure fair remuneration and proper working conditions for doctors in the affected hospitals. Peter also suggested that if the management of St. Luke’s Hospital cannot pay decent salaries, the facility should be handed back to the state government.

He further appealed to Governor Umo Eno to prioritize healthcare workers’ welfare alongside infrastructural development:

“You can’t build infrastructure without labour. Both must go hand in hand.”

The NMA also called on the state to convert Ibom Multi-Specialist Hospital into Ibom Medical University, noting that the facility has the capacity to train doctors, physiotherapists, dentists, medical laboratory scientists, and other professionals.

Meanwhile, the association commended the governor for appointing three of its members as commissioners and advisers. It revealed that it has begun sensitization programs in churches across the 31 LGAs to address maternal and child mortality in the state.