The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called on the Federal Government to immediately retract a controversial circular that it claims unfairly targets healthcare workers by denying them their legal right to a leave of absence.
In a communiqué issued following a National Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, MDCAN expressed its dissatisfaction with the government’s new policy, labeling it a violation of civil service rules. The communiqué, signed by MDCAN President, Prof. Aminu Mohammad, and Secretary, Prof. Daiyabu Ibrahim, highlighted that the circular contradicts established regulations and forces doctors and other healthcare professionals to resign from their positions instead of granting them leave of absence as prescribed by law.
Describing the move as discriminatory, the association urged the government to reverse the decision immediately.
The communiqué also addressed concerns over discriminatory practices in Nigerian universities, particularly against holders of the Medical and Dental Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), and the West African College of Physicians (WACP), who aspire to the positions of Vice-Chancellor. MDCAN noted instances of this discrimination at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, the University of Abuja, and Delta State University.
Additionally, MDCAN raised alarms over the escalating insecurity in the country, noting that healthcare workers, including doctors, are increasingly becoming targets of violence, even within hospital premises.
The association further called on the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigerian Universities Commission to create a standardized and inclusive framework for the selection of Vice-Chancellors, ensuring equal opportunities for all qualified candidates across all disciplines.
MDCAN urged the relevant authorities to address these pressing issues to safeguard fairness and the well-being of healthcare professionals across Nigeria.
