Kehinde Fajobi
The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, has joined the ongoing warning strike called by the association’s national leadership.
In a statement released on Tuesday, OAU MDCAN Chairman, Dr Olufemi Ogundipe, and General Secretary, Dr Tajudin Adetunji, confirmed the suspension of academic activities involving clinical lecturers at the university’s College of Health Sciences.
The strike was initiated after the Federal Government failed to meet a 21-day ultimatum to reverse alleged discriminatory criteria for appointing university leadership, particularly vice-chancellors.
The association cited examples from other institutions, such as Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, and demanded an inclusive . prototype for the vice-chancellor position.
Beyond national grievances, OAU MDCAN stated it would not resume work after the warning strike unless clinical lecturers at the institution are placed on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), aligning with other federal universities.
The statement highlighted the strike’s potential impact, stating, “The fate of over 100 final medical students of OAU now hangs in the balance.
“This is just as the medical college may lose its accreditation status with the National Universities Commission (NUC) if the long-standing shortfall in the emoluments of the clinical lecturers as a result of non-implementation of CONMESS is not addressed.”
It further noted, “Our other salient demands are the discriminatory policy against the medical fellowship and the harmonisation of payment of emoluments of CONMESS to ensure universal applicability of CONMESS to all Medical and Dental Lecturers, among others.
“We are demanding immediate payment of CONMESS to all clinical lecturers in OAU to save the future of medical education in the foremost citadel of learning.”
A hospital consultant who spoke anonymously to The Punch, warned of severe consequences if the strike persists.
“Students’ final examination has been scheduled for next Monday. The accreditation by the NUC is also coming up in a few days. Our resolve as an association is to continue with the strike.
“And with that position, the effects on students’ examinations and the incoming accreditation exercise are better imagined than experienced,” the consultant said.
The association called on the government and OAU authorities to address the crisis urgently, lamenting the shortage of clinical lecturers and the deteriorating state of medical education in Nigeria.
It attributed these challenges to the authorities’ lack of commitment to resolving longstanding issues in the nation’s health sector.