Another Strike Looms As Medical Consultants Give FG 21-Day Ultimatum To Meet Demands

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has given the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to meet its demands or risk “industrial disharmony.”

MDCAN made this known in a communique signed by its President, Dr Victor Makanjuola, and Secretary-General, Dr Yemi Raji on Tuesday at the end of its extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which was held virtually.

The NEC said it was displeased by the non-implementation of the jointly agreed upward review of CONMESS and the introduction of Accoutrement allowance with the Nigerian Medical Association, as the released circular only captured the percentage increase on the basic salary, as against applying it to both the basic salaries and all allowances except hazard allowance.

The statement noted that the error in the review has resulted in the clinical lecturers (Honorary Consultants) being completely barred from benefiting from the upward review.

The commencement date for the new circular was agreed to be January 1, 2023, rather than June 1, 2023.

The Association said, “We believe this error will be corrected without delay. The recent upward review of CONMESS did not take into consideration the consequences of the fuel subsidy removal and exponential inflation that has pervaded our socio-economic space in the past three months.”

Despite the association’s decision to continue engagement and negotiations with the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWS) for over two years regarding the correction of shortfalls in remuneration for Clinical Lecturers (Honorary Consultants), the issue has yet to be addressed conclusively by the Federal Government, the statement lamented.

The council stated that it observed the non-universal adoption of CONMESS for all medical and dental doctors regardless of which government agencies they work with.

Furthermore, the council lamented the failure of the government to appreciate the magnitude of the impacts of brain drain in the health sector, as exhibited by the refusal of the National Council on Establishment to approve the Federal Ministry of Health’s proposal on the upward review of the age of retirement for the Medical and Dental Consultants and other health workers.

The council also stressed the failure of the government to resolve the ongoing disputes with the National Association of Residents Doctors and its attendant impacts on access to health care by Nigerians, and the kidnapping of doctors in the country.

The consultants however, said they are demanding the immediate review of the newly revised CONMESS circular and issuance of a new circular that would reflect the agreed percentage on both the Basic Salary and other allowances, apart from hazard allowance, adding that the review will ensure that the clinical lecturers will benefit from the upward review.

It said other demands include, “A call for the correction of the error of commencement of the implementation of the upward review of CONMESS from June 1, 2023, to January 1, 2023.

“The upward review of the CONMESS should take into consideration the impacts of the fuel subsidy removal and the high inflationary trend that is currently being experienced.

“Demand for the immediate implementation and circularisation of the agreed modalities for correcting the shortfalls in remunerations of Clinical Lecturers (Honorary Consultants).

“An appeal for the universal applicability of CONMESS to all medical and dental doctors, particularly those in public universities,” it added.

Furthermore, the medical workers said, “The attention of the government is once again called to the impact of brain drain in the health sector, which is contributing to burnout among our members and inadequate healthcare workforce to cater to the health of Nigerians.

“We, therefore, demand the immediate implementation of the upward review of retirement age to 70 years for Consultants and 65 years for other Health workers, as an immediate measure to bridge the ongoing massive brain drain.

“We appeal to the government to as a matter of urgency resolve all the contending issues with NARD, to ensure that the government hospitals return to normal operation for optimal healthcare delivery immediately.

“We call on the government at all levels, as well as the security agencies to do all within their powers, to ensure the safety of our members and other Nigerians while effecting the immediate and safe release of those currently held captive by kidnappers.

“The NEC hopes that all these issues will be satisfactorily resolved within the next 21 days, failing which it can no longer guarantee the present relative industrial harmony within the government hospitals and our medical schools”, it said.