The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) is set to commence a three-day warning strike next Tuesday, after 14 of its 17 branches voted in support of the industrial action.
The association said the strike would be total and comprehensive, affecting medical schools across the country.
In a statement issued in Uyo on Wednesday by its Acting Secretary-General, Prof. Aniekan Peter, NAMDA said the action became necessary after what it described as the Federal Government’s failure to address the concerns of medical lecturers.
Peter, a Professor of Neuroanatomy at the University of Uyo, said the situation had become more critical amid the shortage of medical lecturers and the increasing migration of academics and health professionals, popularly known as “Japa.”
He said medical lecturers had been pushed into an avoidable strike despite the shortage of the personnel responsible for training doctors in Nigeria.
Why are medical lecturers planning to strike?
According to NAMDA, several issues affecting the welfare and working conditions of medical academics remain unresolved.
1. Conditions of service
The association said negotiations on the conditions of service of medical lecturers had not been concluded by the Federal Government through the Ahmed Yahale Committee.
2. CONMESS salary structure
NAMDA also complained that the payment of medical lecturers under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) had not been formally documented.
3. MCATA
The association said members were yet to receive the Medical and Clinical Academic Training Allowance (MCATA).
4. Earned Academic Allowance
Another outstanding issue is the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), which NAMDA said had not been paid to affected lecturers.
5. Excess Workload Allowance
The association also listed the non-payment of Excess Workload Allowance among the issues contributing to the planned industrial action.
6. Professorial Allowance
NAMDA further demanded the payment of outstanding Professorial Allowance.
NAMDA warns against mass production of doctors.
Beyond the outstanding payments and conditions of service, the association criticised the Federal Government’s approach to addressing Nigeria’s shortage of doctors.
Peter argued that increasing the number of doctors being trained without improving the welfare of the medical lecturers responsible for training them would not provide a sustainable solution.
He said the government appeared determined to “mass-produce doctors” because of the migration of medical professionals, but warned that the lecturers who train these doctors must also be properly supported.
“We say no to slave wages for medical lecturers,” he said, arguing that Nigeria could not successfully expand its medical workforce while neglecting the academics responsible for producing it.
What does the planned strike mean?
If the warning strike proceeds as announced, medical schools across Nigeria could experience disruptions in teaching, academic activities and other responsibilities handled by medical lecturers.
NAMDA, however, said the strike could still be avoided if the Federal Government returns to the negotiating table and addresses its concerns.
Peter therefore called on the government to resolve the outstanding issues before the three-day warning strike begins, stressing that the country’s shortage of medical lecturers makes prolonged disruption particularly concerning.
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