The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN has described the pressure being mounted on government by the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, over the appointment of its members as consultants as uncalled for.

 

In a statement, MDCAN President, Dr Steven Oluwole, who blamed government agencies for what he described as “overly conciliatory and politicisation of JOHESU demands”, said JOHESU’s interpretation of the Federal Ministry of Health circular No. C.5516/I/T/152 dated 21 October, 2014, as fictional.

 

“All members of JOHESU have not been granted the wishful Consultant positions, but only the eight positions in UCH, Ibadan are expected to subsist without application to any other Institution in the Country. The public should note that the judgement of the NIC in question has been appealed,” Oluwole noted.

 

Further, he recalled: “ In 2010, the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, appointed eight nurses as consultants contrary to the scheme of service of the Federal Ministry of Health.

 

The Minister of Health ordered reversal of the illegal appointments. The NIC judgement, which followed a lawsuit, ordered re-instatement of the eight nurses. The judgement conceded, however, that only the Federal Ministry of Health can determine who becomes Consultant.”

 

Urging all Nigerians to resist what he called the “dangerous aberration that JOHESU seeks,” the MDCAN President said : “We cannot accede to a medical system of JOHESU’s vision, modelled after multitude of parallel and uncoordinated groups of health workers that are independently governed by disparate and competing regulatory Councils.

 

“JOHESU ignores the very obvious fact that no doctor becomes consultant based on years of practice or experience.

 

In other words, medical consultancy is not achieved by promotion, but by appointment and more importantly by the need for such positions. Possession of the Fellowship of the Postgraduate College in Nigeria, or of anywhere in the world, does not make any medical doctor to become a consultant.”

 

By Victoria Ojeme