MDCAN, UBTH Chapter Joins National Body To Down Tools
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Chapter in compliance with the national directive has commenced a one week warning strike from Monday 18th to Sunday, 24th November, 2024.
In an unprecedented action, the association expressed concerns regarding the unwarranted and unprovoked exclusion of medical and dental lecturers based on discriminatory criteria used in the appointment for the selection process of university leadership positions including for the office of the Vice-Chancellor as experienced recently in some universities including the recent case of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
It also expressed concerns in government delay in the harmonisation of the retirement age of medical and dental consultants to 70 years to mitigate the effects of doctors’ migration which is having a terrible toll on the health and mental state of the medical workforce; and the persistent hesitance for the payment of the emoluments of medical lecturers with Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to correct the shortfalls in their emolument, entry-level, and their pension among other demands. These have been on for months and years.
Earlier in October this year, MDCAN issued a 21-day ultimatum from October 21 to November 11, to stakeholders, including the Federal Government, to address its demands, or its members would withdraw their services nationwide.
The strike commenced on Monday due to federal government insensitivity to the MDCAN expressed concerns and hereby demands that “The FG should immediately relieve the Chairman of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University of his appointment as Council Chairman, for his insubordination and failure to enforce the Ministry of Education’s directive nullifying any appointments that run against laid down procedures.
“The development of an all-inclusive prototype of advertisement for the Office of Vice-Chancellor. The advertisement for the Office of Vice Chancellor as recently issued by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, may serve as a prototype.
“The harmonisation of the retirement age of Medical Consultants to 70 years.
“The harmonisation of payment of emoluments of CONMESS to ensure universal applicability of CONMESS to all Medical and Dental officers.
“The Payment of 2023 and 2024, Clinical Duty Allowance areas, and 2023 25 percent/35 percent CONMESS arrears.”
This strike will shutdown all medical activities in 83 MDCAN chapters representing 83 teaching hospitals; Federal Medical Centres and Specialists Hospitals. And the 42 fully accredited medical schools, 11 partially accredited medical schools, 9 fully accredited dental schools and 2 partially accredited dental schools.
MDCAN UBTH Chapter Strike monitoring team will be on ground to ensure compliance.
We as a responsible set of top class professionals deeply feel the ensuing pains but feels obliged, for the sake of posterity, to ensure that its legitimate concerns are addressed to ensure a sane mind at service rendering.
