With the new minimum wage established at N70,000, medical professionals assert that most Nigerians are unable to access quality healthcare due to the nation’s high costs for medications and medical services.
The doctors mentioned that the sanctioned minimum wage is sufficient only to cover patients’ transportation expenses to the hospital, but it cannot cover their medical bills.
The doctors contended that given the severe economic difficulties that have driven many Nigerians into poverty, N70,000 was significantly insufficient to offer quality healthcare to the population, especially for those with low incomes.
Remember that President Bola Tinubu authorized a N70,000 minimum wage last week, pledging to reassess the national minimum wage law every three years.
This authorization came after a two-day strike, an initial request for N615,000, and multiple discussions between the President and the Nigeria Labour Congress.Reacting to the approval, NLC’s national president, Joe Ajaero, said that agreeing to the N70,000 minimum wage was a gesture of unity.
He mentioned that the choice was made to avoid another rise in petrol prices and the additional difficulties it would bring.
