Consultants at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, have embarked on a 21-day warning strike over the non-implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
The Chairman of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), COOUTH chapter, Dr. Amaechi Nwachukwu, announced this at a news conference on Monday in Awka.
He said the association was demanding that the CONMESS recently granted to resident doctors be extended to consultants in the hospital.
Nwachukwu warned that failure to implement the salary adjustment within the stipulated period would lead to an indefinite strike by members.
He explained that the association had earlier engaged the hospital management on the issue and was assured that the matter would be resolved.
However, he expressed disappointment that the promised adjustment was yet to reflect in the October salary expected to be paid soon.
“It is customary that any salary increment or allowance approved for resident doctors should automatically be extended to their supervising consultants.
“The consultants are responsible for training resident doctors and conducting medical research. The current situation is unfair, and consultants will have no choice but to suspend research activities and discharge patients.
“We will also halt clinical demonstrations for medical students if the government fails to act within the given period,” he said.
Nwachukwu commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for approving the Medical Residency Training Fund for resident doctors and for his continued efforts to strengthen the state’s health sector.
