The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has declared a five-day solidarity and warning strike across universities in the South-East and South-South regions.
The strike, scheduled to begin on Monday, October 21, 2024, is a response to what the association describes as “discriminatory exclusion” of clinical lecturers from eligibility for the Vice-Chancellor (VC) position at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
In a statement jointly signed by the chairman of MDCAN South-East Caucus, Dr. Iroro Yarhere and the secretary of the caucus, Dr. Stanley Ogbonna, the clinical lecturers expressed “deep dismay and dissatisfaction” over the eligibility criteria outlined in the recent VC vacancy advertisement.
They argued that the requirements are unfair and undermine the professional qualifications and contributions of clinical lecturers.
The advertised requirements for the VC position stipulates that the “Candidates must possess a PhD, which excludes clinical lecturers who hold Fellowship certifications from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and the West African College of Physicians or Surgeons.
“Candidates must supervise PhD students, while clinical lecturers typically supervise medical residents and fellows for certification.
“Candidates must attract research grants of at least 400 million Naira.” The lecturers said this disregards the value of clinical research that may not always attract such large funding.”
According to MDCAN, these conditions set a “dangerous precedent” that could spread to other universities, undermining the relevance of fellowship qualifications and diminishing the standing of clinical lecturers.
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