UCH consultants raise alarm over delay payment of salaries, allowances
The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) University College Hospital, Ibadan branch, has raised concern over the delay in payment of salaries and allowances of its members in the last three months.
The association however noted that despite this, it has been consistently delivering clinical services in the hospital.
Victor Makanjuola, chairman of MDCAN, who disclosed this while addressing journalists at a press conference in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital maintained that the need to raise the alarm was to correct what he called ‘erroneous belief by the public that doctors always going on strike for money’.
He added that non-payment of salaries in the last three months has not prevented them as an association in assisting the less privileged in the society.
Makanjuola while speaking further at the press conference heralding the association’s annual general meeting under the theme, “Team Building in the Health Management and Leadership in Contemporary Nigeria”, however warned that the patience of the consultants should not be taken for granted.
He then appealed to the hospital’s chief medical director (CMD), Temitope Alonge, chairman of the Board of Management, Atiku Bako Bagudu Shettima and the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole to quickly wade in and resolve the issues surrounding the delay in the payment of their salaries and allowances.
Makanjuola said, “I must also bring to the notice of the general public that we, the Medical and Dental consultants as well as some of our younger colleagues (interns) in UCH have not been paid our allowances /salary for the past three months, nevertheless, we have been consistently delivering clinical services. This information is important to correct the erroneous belief by the general public that doctors always go on strike for money.
“As you must have noted that in the program line-up that non-payment of salaries has also not prevented us, as an association, from being charitable to the less privileged.
“However, these considerations that are borne out of the nobility of the profession should not be taken for granted as we look forward to a speedy resolution of the impasse with regards to our yet to be paid allowances.
“I will also seize this opportunity to appreciate the hospital’s management led by Temitope Alonge, the chairman board of management, Bako Bagudu Shettima and the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole for their efforts so far resolving the delay in payment of our allowances reportedly due to migration of resident doctors to the IPPIS system”.
“The theme, “Team Building in the Health Management and Leadership in Contemporary Nigeria”, is in recognition of the unhealthy inter-professional rivalry in the health sector, its attendant negative effects on service delivery and health related indices and the need to reverse this ugly trend as a matter of national emergency”.
Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan