Ogun medical doctors name for tax rebate to curb mind drain

Medical doctors in Ogun State have urged the state government to grant tax rebate for doctors working with government establishments in the state.

Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Ogun chapter, Dr Luqman Ogunjimi made the appeal on Tuesday during a press conference held at the NMA secretariat, Abeokuta, to kick off the association’s Annual General Meeting.

The general meeting which runs from August 3rd to 9th is themed ‘Leveraging On Technology To Drive Medical Practice In The Era Of Dwindling Medical Personnel’.

According to Ogunjimi, reducing the amount of money taken out of their salaries each month as taxes is one way to guarantee that the few remaining doctors in the state continue to serve the public.

The NMA chairman while thanking the state government for granting the doctors’ demand to be paid at par with colleagues in Federal Government establishments, said the amount deducted as tax is hurting and has become a source of concern.

He said, “It took more than 16 months of agitation for government to implement the request that the doctors in the state should be paid according to their counterparts working with Federal Government establishments and other states.

“Now that the government has implemented this demand, we have equally found out that the tax we are paying is on the higher side. We are hereby calling on the government to grant us tax rebate just like it has been done by other states for healthcare workers.

“We are not saying that we aren’t going to pay tax but what is being taken from our salaries is simply too much and this challenge is also affecting people who are willing to stay behind and work.”

However, the association reaffirmed its dedication to improving the welfare and well-being of its members in order to boost output and further inspire them to continue serving humanity.