Lara Adejoro The seven-day warning strike embarked upon by the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria is already taking a toll on patients in Abuja hospitals, the nation’s capital. This was even as patients lamented delays in accessing health services, and new patients were not being admitted due to the ongoing strike. Our correspondent reports that the strike affects 83 health facilities and 64 medical schools across the country.
The members of MDCAN are on strike to press home their demands, asking the Federal Government to relieve the Chairman of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University of his appointment as council chairman, for his insubordination and to enforce the Ministry of Education’s directive nullifying any appointments subsequent to their directives. It also asks “the FG to develop 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 MDCAN NEC demands the harmonisation of the retirement age of Medical Consultants to 70 years. The MDCAN NEC demands harmonisation of payment of emoluments of CONMESS to ensure universal applicability of CONMESS to all Medical and Dental officers. Payment of 2023 and 2024, Clinical Duty Allowance areas, and 2023 25 per cent/35 per cent CONMESS arrears.
” At the National Hospital, Abuja, a patient identified as Uchenna said he was refused .