The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has joined the ongoing nationwide warning strike following directives from the national body.
The industrial action, triggered by the Federal Government’s refusal to address discriminatory policies against clinical lecturers in university leadership appointments, has paralyzed academic activities at the university’s College of Health Sciences.
Demand for Equity in Leadership and Emoluments
The association, led by OAU MDCAN Chairman Dr. Olufemi Ogundipe and General Secretary Dr. Tajudin Adetunji, condemned the exclusion of clinical lecturers from key leadership roles, such as vice-chancellors, in universities. They cited recent incidents, including those at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, as evidence of unfair practices.
In addition to national grievances, OAU MDCAN highlighted unresolved issues, including the non-implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for clinical lecturers. They demanded immediate action, warning that the college risks losing its accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) if their concerns remain unaddressed.
Strike Impact on Students and Accreditation
The strike has placed the academic future of over 100 final-year medical students in jeopardy, with their final exams, scheduled for next Monday, now uncertain. An accreditation visit by the NUC, crucial to the college’s status, is also imminent, raising fears of a potential loss of accreditation.
A consultant at the hospital, speaking anonymously, remarked, “The implications of the strike on student examinations and the upcoming accreditation exercise are better imagined than experienced.”
Call for Urgent Intervention
The association called on the Federal Government and OAU authorities to resolve the ongoing crisis, citing a critical shortage of clinical lecturers and declining standards in medical education as consequences of long-standing neglect in the health sector.
MDCAN vowed to continue the strike beyond the current warning phase if their demands for equal recognition, payment of CONMESS, and policy harmonization are not met.
“This strike is a fight for the survival of medical education in Nigeria,” the association declared, urging swift action to prevent further disruptions in the nation’s healthcare training and delivery systems.