The University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has announced plans to stage a protest as the Southwest zone of the association begins an indefinite strike today.
The industrial action is in response to the prolonged non-implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for clinical lecturers in the region.
In a statement issued by Dr. A.A. Salawu, Chairman of MDCAN Southwest zone, the association emphasized that the strike aims to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the plight of clinical lecturers who have been unfairly excluded from the CONMESS scale, despite its approval since 2008 and subsequent corrections in 2014.
Dr. Salawu revealed that while the CONMESS scale has been successfully implemented in federal universities across other regions, clinical lecturers in the Southwest continue to be denied their rightful salaries. This discrepancy, he noted, has severely impacted staff recruitment and retention, threatening the quality of medical training and healthcare delivery in the region.
“The delay in implementing CONMESS for clinical lecturers in the Southwest is not only unjust but also counterproductive to the Federal Government’s goal of training more doctors and healthcare professionals,” Dr. Salawu stated. He warned that without immediate resolution, the strike could disrupt academic calendars, widen knowledge gaps among students, and ultimately weaken Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Echoing these concerns, Dr. Kolawole Akande, Chairman of the MDCAN University of Ibadan (UI) branch, highlighted the adverse effects of the non-implementation of CONMESS on medical education. According to Dr. Akande, clinical lecturers at UI have abstained from teaching since December 2024, leaving both undergraduate and postgraduate medical students in limbo.
“This situation is detrimental to the students, as it will likely extend their time in medical school,” Dr. Akande said. “For nearly two years, we have appealed to the university management to address this issue, but our efforts have yielded no results.”
In response, Prof. Temidayo Ogundiran, Provost of the College of Medicine at UI, acknowledged the strike but assured that the university authorities were working to resolve the matter. “The strike is not targeted at the College of Medicine, and we are aware of the situation. Regrettably, it has dragged on, but we are hopeful for a swift resolution,” he said.
As the strike takes effect, students and stakeholders fear prolonged disruptions to academic activities. At the same time, the MDCAN remains resolute in its demand for equitable treatment of clinical lecturers in the Southwest.
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