Medical, Dental Doctors Task FG On CONMESS

The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has urged the federal government to demonstrate the same commitment and urgency displayed in resolving the CONMESS issue towards the immediate implementation of all other aspects of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

Our correspondent reports that federal government through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) recently released the corrected Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) Circular for doctors within the public service.

MDCAN in July this year had rejected the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s (NSIWC) circular dated June 27, 2025, regarding the review of allowances for medical and dental officers in the federal public service.

According to them, the circular is deemed grossly inadequate, misleading, and a flagrant violation of previous collective bargaining agreements between the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the federal government.

MDCAN’s president, Prof Mohammad Aminu in a statement issued to newsmen in Jos said this decisive action, which effectively upholds the critical principle of salary relativity in the health sector, was a significant and welcome step towards honouring the agreements reached with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

He also maintained that the restoration was essential in recognising the unique demands and specialised skills of medical and dental consultants and other doctors within the public service.

MDCAN further said while they commended this positive development, it wished to urgently draw the federal government’s attention to the other critical outstanding issues contained in the MoU with the NMA.

Part of the statement reads, “The resolution of the CONMESS relativity is but one element of a broader agreement designed to address the systemic challenges plaguing the Nigerian health sector.

He further stressed, “The continued delay in implementing these other resolutions is a significant source of frustration and disillusionment among our members”.

Prof Aminu also argued that these outstanding issues include, the immediate conclusion of due process for the increase in retirement age for Medical consultants from 60 to 70 years and other core healthcare workers from 60 to 65 as approved by President Bola Tinubu for mentorship, training, services, research and the release of the January 2024 agreed Clinical Duty allowance and other allowances for Honorary consultants.

Other pending demands  according to the statement are the full implementation of the approved new Hazard Allowance for Doctors in colleges of medicine, the immediate payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), the provision of adequate life insurance coverage for healthcare workers and the implementation of mechanisms to address the brain drain and improve hospital infrastructures.