The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has urged Federal Government to address the demand of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) within 21 days to averts the potential disruptions in healthcare services and its attendant consequences.
Our correspondent recalled NMA’s president Prof. Bala Audu in press briefing has rejected a circular issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), referenced SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646 and dated June 27, 2025, which addresses the review of allowances for medical and dental officers in the federal public service.
They described the circular as a violation of existing collective bargaining agreements and a threat to industrial harmony in the health sector and issued a 21-day ultimatum for its withdrawal.
MDCAN in a statement issued to newsmen in Jos the Plateau state capital said they are in solidarity with the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and called for immediately correction of the consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001, 2009, and 2014.
The statement which was jointly signed by the president Prof. Mohammad Aminu and Secretary Prof. Daiyabu Alhaji urged the commission to as a matter of urgency withdraw the circular and demanded for urgent Government’s action to address these pressing issues to avert looming strike .
“We further called for correction of the relativity agreed between CONMESS and CONHESS and compliance with relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances, and the payment of all accrued backlogs.”
They also urged federal government to settle all outstanding arrears of 25/35% CONMESS, clinical duty and accoutrement allowances owed to Medical and Dental practitioners and payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025, and review of the MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities.
The Medical and Dental doctor demanded for the release of the Circular on Clinical Duty and other allowances for honorary consultants as agreed in January 2024, implementation of scarce skills allowances for medical consultants and approval of specialist and excess allowance for all doctors.
The association further demanded for the adoption of relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances
compliance with CBA of 2021 on hazard allowance and revised CONMESS for house officers.
MDCAN also urged the Federal Government to implement the Universal application of the CONMESS across all Federal and state MDAs and universities to combat internal brain drain and reversal of the appointment of other healthcare professionals as consultants in hospitals, to ensure patient safety and uphold standards of care.
According to the statement, Federal Government should provide comprehensive health insurance coverage for all medical and dental practitioners to urgently constitute management boards for federal hospitals to enhance governance and operational efficiency as provided in the Acts for Federal Tertiary Institutions.
The statement also called for the issuance of a circular implementing the reviewed retirement age for medical and dental practitioners and the implementation of robust welfare and well-being packages, including comprehensive health and social support for healthcare workers amongst others.