Health Minister Collaborates with Ministries to Address Medical Consultants’ Demands
Prof. Muhammad Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has engaged the Ministries of Education, Finance, and Labour and Employment in discussions to address the demands of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN). MDCAN issued a 21-day ultimatum, ending on November 11, requesting action on key issues to avoid a nationwide strike.
Key Issues Raised by MDCAN
The association is calling for the inclusion of medical and dental lecturers in the selection process for university Vice-Chancellor positions, the harmonization of the retirement age to 70 for consultants, and the payment of medical lecturers in alignment with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to address disparities.
Progress in Negotiations
MDCAN National President, Prof. Muhammad Muhammad, reported that initial meetings held with the Ministry of Health, Labour, and other stakeholders addressed some of the demands, though the Ministry of Education was not present. The Minister of Health is facilitating further discussions and drafting letters to relevant ministries and the Head of Service to formalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and seek Federal Executive Council approval.
The MDCAN is set to review the outcomes in an emergency meeting on Monday to decide on further actions.
