Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital,COOUTH, has issued a 21-Day ultimatum to Anambra state government to address their demands or face industrial action.
The threatened that they will stop the training of residents doctors, recall those posted out, suspend all ongoing research and discharge every patient in the hospital,if they are ignored.
The 21-Day ultimatum, according to them, will begin on October 20 till November 21, to give space for the Anambra governorship election.
The Chairman of the group, Dr Amaechi Nwachukwu and the Secretary,Prof Joseph Umeobika, spoke Friday at the hospital premises, and flanked by all the members of the association, while speaking with Journalists.
The Consultants, said they had held meetings with the government, paid courtesy visits to the hospital Management and written petitions to correct the anomalies,all to no avail, saying, the next option is the way they want to follow.
Some of their grievances are that the government graciously,placed resident doctors on the proper salary scale, the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS)2024 which, according to them, was the standard salary scale enjoyed by all doctors across Nigeria
They said he equally approved the payment of their Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), a fund to support their training as approved by the federal government
“As of today, October, our salaries are being prepared with the same old scale, while those of our trainers are being done with the proper scale .
“Recall that any payment to residents doctors in the health sector is automatically extended to their bosses, the Consultants,in the same teaching hospital,as they are the heads of all doctors working there.
“However, despite our loyalty and diplomatic approach to issues,we were disappointed to note that we were excluded from the proper placement after September salaries were paid. We are left confused on how there are two different salary structure for doctors working in the same place.
“We will stop the training of resident doctors, recall all resident doctors on outside postings, suspend all ongoing research, discharge all patients from the teaching hospital, and halt all demonstrations to medical students using patients.
“This will not only delay the graduation of medical students and resident doctors but also affect the overall functioning of the teaching hospital.
“Many consultants have left the services of the teaching hospital for better conditions. We have lost key specialists to some other institutions where they are better appreciated and paid.
“Many have left the country due to the ‘Jakpa’ syndrome, but the few of us holding on here and keeping faith with the government are being treated as unimportant.
“We know this is a sensitive period, and any action taken now will be viewed through a political prism. However, we have been quietly persuading the authorities to do the needful, but unfortunately, that hasn’t yielded any results.
“We are left with no choice but to resort to this pathway. We are still hopeful that this situation can be avoided, and our numerous patients and trainees can be spared untold hardship while we continue to take on the numerous responsibilities foisted upon us by virtue of our position and expertise.
“We, therefore, call on all well-meaning Anambrarians to join us and persuade the government to avoid unnecessary loss of lives that this unpleasant action might result in” the Consultants said
