The federal government has pledged proactive measures to forestall strike by doctors and other health workers through the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS)
Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige made the commitment during a courtesy visit on him by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Monday.
Led by its president, Dr. Uche Ojinmah, secretary, Jude Onyekwere as well as President Nigerian Association Medical and Dental Academics(NAMDA) Nosa Orhue among others, the NMA catalogued challenges facing doctors in Nigeria, especially the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
Ojinmah said: “It is sad to tell you that the most pressing challenge facing Nigerian doctors is the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure which has been overdue by eight years. We wrote to our parent ministry of Health on June 5 , 2022, seeking for a meeting , just as other previous national officers of NMA have written since 2014 for the same issue and without result.
“Recall that it is the 2009 Agreement that yielded CONMESS and we agreed with government that it would be reviewed in five years and that five years was up in 2014 and this 2022. Nothing has been done about this. We wrote in June to the Ministry of Health to ask for discussion over this. The meetings they convened were all structured to fail.”
He regretted the inability of the officials of the Ministry of Health to resolve the lingering issue and therefore appealed to the Mlabour minister to take over the matter and ensure its speedy resolution before the general assembly of the NMA scheduled for the 11thof December 2022.
Commending the minister for the registration of the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) which he said, “has come to stay and heartily welcome by the NMA,” the association also urged Ngige to help maintain industrial harmony in the essential services where the NMA has jurisdiction.
“It will be highly appreciated if immediate and urgent actions are expedited by your ministry in addressing the concerns of the members of the NMA and her affiliates, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) as well as the out of court resolution of the dispute between Medical and Dental Doctors in Academics and the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission,” he said.
He further called for social dialogue brokered by the standing committee, domiciled in the labour ministry, in liaison with the Salaries , Income and Wages Commission , Federal Ministry of Finance to sort the issues prior to presentation to the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages.
Responding, the minister noted that despite the prevailing economic challenges facing the nation, the federal government was committed to not just the review of CONMESS but also CONHESS, to ensure stability in the nation’s health system.
