MDCAN Urges Nigerian Universities to Pay Clinical Lecturers with CONMESS, Calls for Reforms in Healthcare Sector

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called on the vice chancellors of the universities in Ibadan, Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ilorin to immediately adopt the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for paying clinical lecturers, aligning their remuneration with practices in other parts of the country.

The call came as part of a communiqué issued after the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Ilorin, Kwara State, and was presented to reporters in Jos, Plateau State.

In the communiqué, signed by MDCAN President Prof. Aminu Mohammad and Secretary Prof. Daiyabu Ibrahim, the association criticized ongoing discrimination against medical fellowship holders by some universities. It argued that medical and dental fellowships are sufficient academic and professional qualifications for career advancement, emphasizing the need for equality between fellowship holders and PhD holders in the academic field.

MDCAN also expressed concerns about the increasing number of non-medical consultants in tertiary healthcare facilities, highlighting the lack of clear job descriptions for these roles. The association warned that this trend could compromise patient safety and disrupt effective healthcare management.  

The association urged the federal government to convene meetings with key stakeholders in the health sector to develop comprehensive solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare system.

It also advocated for measures to improve public safety, including:

• Developing protocols to prevent fuel tanker accidents.
• Enhancing road infrastructure.
• Reducing poverty through targeted initiatives.
• Providing public orientation on safety practices.

To curb the exodus of medical professionals, MDCAN recommended implementing compensation schemes for occupational infections, as well as social security and workplace insurance. The group also called for the urgent implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on November 22, 2024, which addresses the universal applicability of CONMESS for all medical and dental doctors in government establishments.