Posted on: Thu 16-09-2021

MEDICAL AND DENTAL CONSULTANT’S ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (MDCAN) EMERGENCY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (e-NEC) VIRTUAL MEETING HELD MONDAY, 13TH SEPTEMBER 2021 

COMMUNIQUE

PREAMBLE

The Medical and Dental Consultants' Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) held a emergency National Executive Council (e-NEC) meeting on Monday, 13t September 2021 to discuss various issues affecting the Association and welfare of the members. The agenda for the meeting were: The expiring ultimatum to the Federal Government of Nigeria on the implementation of CONMESS salary scale for the remuneration of its members in academic. The attack on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Fellowship by the President of Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUIJ), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke. On-going NARD strike The NEC made the following observations: Although the recent circular from the National Salary Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on stoppage o CONMESS for doctors in academia has been withdrawn and CONMESS restored the affected seven institutions, the slow pace of addressing other outstanding issue remain a source of deep concern to our members. These include salary shortfall affecting our Honorary Consultants; payment of arrears of those shortfalls spanning 10 years; need for universal application of CONMESS to all doctors; upward review of entry point for consultants appointed as Clinical Lecturers. The emerging scenarios suggest that government has continued to treat the welfare of our member with lack of seriousness. That the extended ultimatum given to the Federal Government on the aforesaid concerns expired on Monday, 13th September 2021 without significant progress on a number of the issues under contention. The ultimatum given to the Federal Government by NMA relates to the ongoing strike by National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and other sundry matte affecting Nigerian doctors. The unwarranted attack on our Postgraduate Medical and Dental Fellowship by the national president of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, regard to the eligibility of fellowship holders for the position of Vice Chancellor Nigerian universities was received by members with utter dismay and shock. Man of our members are being owed several months of salary in some Federal and State Government Hospitals across the country. After exhaustive deliberations, the NE resolved as follows: In view of the 21-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government by NMA which expires in a week from 13 September 2021, the NE resolved to further allow a period of not more than 6 weeks for robust negotiation and necessary documentations during which or at the expiration of which an observation of foot-dragging by the Federal Government will result commencement of immediate withdrawal of services by our members. The National Officers Committee (NOC) was charged to pursue a resolution of the remaining, issues in contention: rectify the issue of income loss by Honorary Consultants payment of the arrears of salary shortfalls; reflection of the adjusted salary of members' pension contributions, and an upward review of entry grade level for Consultants employed as Clinical Lecturers. NEC reiterates its support for the ongoing strike by NARD while advising both the Federal and State Governments speedily resolve all the issues in order to ensure return of NARD members to work and continue to attend to the health of Nigerians. NEC condemned in strongest of terms the exhibition of crass ignorance by the national president of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, for his uninformed and jaundiced opinion on the eligibility o: Postgraduate Medical and Dental Fellowship for the position of Vice Chancellor it Nigerian universities. The NEC subsequently directed the NOC to issue at appropriate response with a view to educating Prof. Osodeke on the peculiarity of the Medical and Dental Fellowship in clinical service delivery, medical education research, and human resources management, in addition to demanding an unreserve apology from the uninformed professor. The NEC further directed all MDCAN chapters whose members are involved in medical education to issue letters of protest to their local branch of ASUU. The NOC was also directed by NEC to expedite actions on the establishment of Medical Lecturers Union. The NEC also sent strong appeals to the Federal and State Governments that owe various months o: outstanding salaries to take urgent steps to pay such officers, including the arrears.

Signed:

Dr. Victor Makanjuola

President 

Dr. Yemi R. Raji

Secretary General 

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