The Medical and Dental Consultants Association (MDCAN) and the Medical and Dental Specialist Association in Basic Medical Sciences (MEDSABAMS) have expressed deep concern over the ongoing withdrawal of services in medical schools in South West universities due to the non-migration of medical lecturers to the CONMESS salary structure.
This was contained in a joint statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Jos, Plateau State, by MDCAN and MEDSABAMS Presidents, Prof. Mohammad Aminu and Prof. AbdulGafar Jimoh, respectively.
According to the two medical associations, no significant progress has been made regarding the implementation of payment of clinical lecturers with the CONMESS salary structure by the universities in the South West and Ilorin, contrary to what is obtained in other geopolitical zones of the country.
It will be recalled that clinical lecturers in all the tertiary institutions from the South West Zone of Nigeria have withdrawn their services since 3rd February 2025, pending the full payment of their CONMESS salary structure.
They also called on the federal government, the Minister of Education, and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to prevail on the vice-chancellors of the Southwest universities to intensify efforts to resolve this issue to avoid further disruption of the academic calendar.
The two associations warned that the implications of the continuous strike by their members in the Southwest will lead to the disruption of the addition of about 1,000 doctors to the badly depleted doctor population and worsening doctor-patient ratio, with attendant compromised health outcomes.
MDCAN and MEDSABAMS also highlighted that the development is capable of causing further disenchantment among medical students, resulting in an increase in “japa syndrome” and inadequate personnel preparation for the next inevitable pandemic: the loss of tested, trusted, and experienced medical lecturers to greener pastures.
They, however, urged the Minister of Labour and Employment and the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission to expedite action to honour the resolutions reached with the Federal Government on 22nd November 2024, among which is to migrate all medical lecturers to CONMESS. They added that this would solve all the issues around the emolument affecting the medical lecturers in Nigerian universities and medical schools.
According to the statement, the government should equally address the issues of entry-level, poor pension, and gross deficits in monthly take-home pay. This will ensure the success of the government’s policy of doubling the enrolment of medical students in all the medical schools by encouraging younger medical academics to take up lecturer positions in Nigerian medical schools and ensuring industrial harmony in the medical education sector.
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