The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Medical and Dental Consultants’
Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called on the Vice Chancellor of Universities of Ibadan, Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo and Ilorin to implement the payment of Clinical Lecturers with CONMESS as being done across other regions in Nigeria, without further delay.
They also appealed to the Federal Government to urgently stop and reverse the proliferation of non- Medical Consultants across Hospitals to forestall patient’s safety and proper management.
MDCAN made their position known in a communique issued to newsmen in Jos, the Plateau State capital after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association held at the Peace Hall of De Peace Hotel, Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The Theme and the Sub-theme of the meeting is ‘Policy Making for Quality Health Care Service: Engaging Policy Makers for Quality Health Care Delivery’ and “Caring for the Carers: Prioritizing the Health Care Providers in Nigeria” .
The communique which was signed by the MDCAN President Prof. Aminu Mohammad and Secretary Prof. Daiyabu Ibrahim also rejected the continuous discrimination by some Nigerian Universities, against Medical Fellowship Holders, preventing them from reaching the peak of their career on the basis of not possessing a PhD degree and reiterates that the Medical and Dental Fellowships suffice both as academic and professional qualification in medical training and career advancement.
According to the communique, NEC also observed the growing industrial disharmony between her members in Universities in the Southwest Zone and Ilorin with dismay. This is evidently due to failure of the Management of these universities to pay Clinical Lecturers with CONMESS salary structure adding this position promotes internal and external brain drain in an already depleted and insufficient workforce.
The Medical body also lamented the unnecessary proliferation of Consultant Cadre for non-Medical Doctors in our Tertiary Health Institutions noting that this especially without any proper delineation of responsibilities and attendant implication for patient care, especially when the job descriptions of such non-Medical Doctor Consultants have not been clearly stated.
MDCAN also call for urgent need to convey health sector critical stakeholders’ meetings to discuss and formulate a comprehensive and holistic pathways to address the myriads of challenges affecting the healthcare sector and militating against optimal healthcare delivery in the country adding that the association will be available to contribute innovative ideas towards finding lasting solutions to the challenges facing healthcare delivery in our country.
“Government should as a matter of urgency, develop protocol and measures of preventing Nigerians from getting near fuel tanker accident, improved road infrastructure, poverty reduction and orientation of the citizenry. ”
NEC also enjoined the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, put all necessary processes in motion to motivate the Healthcare Workers to stay in the country, thereby curtailing the mass exodus to other countries. For instance, providing compensation schemes for occupational infections, social security and occupational insurance at the workplace.
“The Federal Government should urgently implement the signed Resolutions (MoU) of 22nd November 2024, addressing the long-standing demand of Universal Applicability for CONMESS for all Medical and Dental Doctors across different Government establishments.”
They commended the efforts of President Bola Tinubu, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Hon. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi for the roles they continue to play towards the resolution of MDCAN labour challenges.