The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has declared a seven-day warning strike.

The strike affects all services rendered by its members in Nigeria after reviewing her 21-day ultimatum and demands to the Federal Government, which yielded no significant progress.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a virtual meeting held by NEC of the association on Monday, it noted that a 21 days ultimatum accompanied with her demands and a seven-day warning strike was given to the federal government earlier.

The communiqué signed by the association’s president, Prof. Aminu Mohammad, and Secretary-General, Prof. Daiyabu Alhaji Ibrahim said that after extensive deliberations, it observed no significant progress made in addressing all her demands by the federal government.

According to the communiqué, NEC observed an utter disregard of due process by the Governing Council Chairman of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, during its Vice Chancellor selection.

It noted that despite the Government’s clear directive to halt the process and nullify any appointment made based on that process, the appointees are still parading themselves as such.

It however, stated that the Government has failed to harmonise the retirement age of medical consultants to 70 years which is meant to address the current shortfall of critical manpower for training, research, and healthcare services in the country.

The association noted the Government has also failed to universally implement the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for clinical lecturers in all Nigerian universities aimed to mitigate the current shortfalls in their emolument, entry-level, and pension contribution of members.

To resolve the issue, MDCAN asked the Federal Government to immediately relieve the Chairman of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University of his appointment as council chairman due to his insubordination and to enforce the Ministry of Education’s directive nullifying any appointments subsequent to their directives.

 

They equally tasked the Federal Government to adopt the prototype advertisement for the Office of Vice Chancellor as recently issued by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in developing an all-inclusive prototype of advertisement for the Office of Vice Chancellor.

 

Other demands include MDCAN harmonization of the retirement age of medical consultants to 70 years; harmonisation of payment of emoluments of Medical Lecturers with CONMESS; payment of 2023 and 2024, clinical duty allowance areas, and her 2023 25 percent/35 percent CONMESS arrears.

MDCAN NEC concluded that it will reconvene on Sunday, 24th November 2024, to reassess the situation and progress made to chart the next course of action.