MDCAN Threatens Strike Action, Extends Ultimatum

Nzeuzor Jane and Bestman Orji, Port-Harcourt

The Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has again extended the ultimatum given to the federal government to resolve their demands by another six weeks.

Chairman of MEDCAN at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Dr. Chukwuemeka Agi, told our reporter that the consultants do not want to further cripple the health sector as residents doctors are on strike.

He explained that they have asked the members of the national excos to continue to leiase and deliberate with officers of the ministry of health, the head of service, as well as education, to see how they can continue to offer service, no matter how skeletal they may be, so that there will not be complete breakdown.

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He further said they know that all life is sacred but they wouldn’t loose their own lives while caring for others.
He added that they support the association of resident doctors and when the time comes, if the issues is not fully resolved, they will join the industrial action.

You would recall that MCDAN in July 26th issued a 21 day ultimatum to the federal government over salary scales.

In a related development, the head of department, community medicine University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Health (UPTH), Foluke Adeniji has also disclosed that people are more receptive towards the COVID-19 program.

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Dr Foluke Adeniji said the people are coming directly to request for the vaccine. She said they are happy to take the vaccine, and nobody is compelling them.

Adeniji, however, listed manpower as one of the challenges faced by the vaccination team.

Adeniji further explained that they have pulled more resources towards the clinic to help mainly with data entry. She said they are solving it, and they have been able to clear their backlog and people are collecting their cards and the vaccination process is going smoothly.