The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has declared a seven-day warning strike over the government's alleged failure to take meaningful action to address its demands.
The strike will begin in all universities and hospitals in Nigeria from Monday, November 18 to Sunday, November 24.
The association made this known in a statement issued at the end of its National Executive Council (CNE) meeting held virtually on Monday.
MDCAN had previously issued a 21-day ultimatum, from October 21 to November 11, urging the government to heed its demands, or its members would withdraw their services nationwide.
Lawsuits
In the statement signed by its National President, Mohammad Mohammad, MDCAN expressed concern over the exclusion of professors of medicine and dentistry in the selection process for the position of Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
The association criticized the criteria used in the appointment process, which it said unfairly marginalized qualified medical and dental professionals.
He also demanded harmonization of the retirement age of medical and dental consultants to 70 years to help curb the impact of migration of doctors.
Article page with financial support promotion
Additionally, it requires that medical professors be remunerated in accordance with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), addressing disparities in their emoluments.
The statement reads in part: “The CNE notes the reckless and utter disregard of due process by the Chairman of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, which led to the selection of the Vice-Chancellor, despite clear and unequivocal directive of the government that stopped the process and annulled any appointment made based on that process.”
He listed other reasons for the warning strike, including the government's failure to harmonize the retirement age of medical consultants at 70, a lack of critical staff for training, research and health services in the country, and the lack of universal implementation of the CONMESS for clinical lecturers in all Nigerian universities, “which aims to mitigate the current deficiencies in their emoluments, entry level and contribution to members' pensions.”
The association calls on the government to immediately remove the President of the University Governing Council Nnamdi Azikiwe from office, alleging insubordination. This move, according to the statement, would reinforce the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education that annuls any appointment made against its instructions.
READ ALSO: Governor Lawal sparks revolution in Zamfara healthcare sector with record-breaking transformation
The association also called for the creation of an inclusive prototype to advertise the position of vice-chancellors in universities, recommending as a model the recent advertisement issued by the Ahmadu Bello University of Zaria.
About MDCAN
MDCAN is an association of medical and dental consultants specialists in various fields of medicine and dentistry, who have the highest qualifications in their professions.
Their responsibilities include training physicians, providing specialized healthcare services to patients, and conducting research in all medical fields.
MDCAN members work in government and non-government hospitals as well as tertiary and secondary healthcare centers across the country.