The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has announced that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, is set to submit a memo to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) advocating for the harmonization of the retirement age for medical consultants to 70 years.
In addition, Pate, alongside the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, plans to submit a joint memo to the Presidential Committee on Salaries, proposing the universal application of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical lecturers.
MDCAN recently staged a seven-day warning strike beginning on November 18 to press for these demands. However, the strike was suspended after six days due to government intervention in a dispute over the Vice-Chancellor position at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, which resolved one of the association’s major concerns.
The association continues to push for the harmonization of the retirement age for medical consultants to 70 and the universal application of CONMESS to all medical and dental officers.
In an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, MDCAN President, Prof. Muhammad Muhammad, confirmed that progress has been made on the memos.
“We have reviewed the draft of the memo and provided our input, but I am uncertain about its current status with the ministers. They are in the process of submitting it to the Federal Executive Council for consideration,” he said.
“The Ministers of Health and Education will also jointly submit the memo on salary harmonization to the Presidential Committee on Salaries. We urge them to fulfill their commitments from the conciliation process and resolve these issues before our next meeting in January 2025.”
MDCAN’s next meeting is scheduled for January 20-25, 2025, where further actions will be discussed.
