The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has commended the federal government’s initiative to reduce electricity tariffs by fifty million naira for public health and educational institutions, calling it a step in the right direction toward addressing some of the challenges facing these sectors.
In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, themed “Health as a Sustainable Development Goal in Nigeria: Celebrating Our Success and Strategizing for the Future,” MDCAN encouraged the government to extend the same relief to state-owned and private health facilities that also serve Nigerians.
The communiqué, signed by MDCAN President Prof. Aminu Mohammad and Secretary Prof. Daiyabu Ibrahim, was made available to the press in Jos. It argued that a universal application of energy subsidies would significantly improve healthcare delivery across the country.
The association also voiced its concern over the federal government’s failure to fully harmonize and address salary shortfalls for clinical lecturers, also known as Honorary Consultants, who have experienced income losses due to the non-payment of their full salaries under the CONMESS scale.
Additionally, MDCAN highlighted the government’s inaction on increasing and harmonizing the retirement age for hospital consultants and other healthcare workers. This issue has exacerbated the already challenging conditions caused by healthcare workforce migration, which has led to overburdened staff and burnout across the sector.
The NEC also expressed its desire to double the quotas of medical schools to train more doctors but lamented that the government has not made the necessary investments in human resources and infrastructure to support quality medical education.
Furthermore, the communiqué urged all levels of government to address the ongoing security challenges affecting healthcare facilities and other areas in the country.
“We demand that the government takes all measures necessary to ensure the immediate release of Prof. Philip Ephraim Ekanem (UCTH Calabar) and Dr. Ganiyat Popoola (FNPH Kaduna), as well as all other Nigerians held captive by kidnappers,” the communiqué stated.
The association also called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to intervene in the growing crisis at Lagos State University (LASU) and its College of Medicine. MDCAN urged the governor to act swiftly to resolve the situation and reinstate the interdicted Provost to prevent further deterioration.
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