COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY DELEGATES’ MEETING OF THE NIGERIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (NMA) AT REGENCY HOTEL, LAGOS ON 10TH OF FEBRUARY, 2007

PREAMBLE

An emergency delegates’ meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) held on Saturday, 10th February, 2007 at the Regency Hotel, Lagos. The NMA, having done an in-dept analysis of the recently released circular on the Consolidated Tertiary Institution Salary Structure (CONTISS, Ref No. SWC/ S/ 04/ S.301/ 1), wishes to express her utmost dismay with the contents and overall framework of the CONTISS Circular and the approved allowances.

It is quite clear to the NMA that no job evaluation was done before the enunciation of the circular. We also note the principle of collective bargaining was breached by the Federal Government in arriving at this CONTISS circular and the Government approved allowances.

OUR GRIEVANCES

1. As it stands, the CONTISS circular and allowances completely distort the principle of relativity in the health sector wage structure as Practiced worldwide.

2. There is a reduction in the take-home pay of all Doctors with the new CONTISS/ allowances circulars. This negates all known labour conventions/ laws which forbids any loss in income for any worker following any salary review exercise.

3. All allowances previously paid to clinicians for the clinical services they offer have been consolidated and now apply to persons who offer no clinical services.

4. The call duty allowance, hitherto a percentage of basic salary per unit call has now been made a lump sum and the actual amount reduced. Infact, a category of doctors no longer earn call duty allowance.

5. Clinical supplementation, hitherto paid to Honourary consultants who are primarily university Staff has been eroded. Honourary Consultants have therefore suffered a substantial loss of income for the extra work they do in the hospitals, in addition to their primary teaching duties.

6. The CONTISS and allowances circular failed to take cognizance of the submission of the NMA to the Shonekan Panel requesting a re-institution of the MSS/ MSSS salary structure for doctors in Nigeria.

NMA’S STAND

By a unanimous vote, the emergency delegates’ meeting of the Nigeria Medical Association rejects in its entirety, the CONTISS circular and the approved allowances by the Federal Government.

OUR DEMANDS

After due consideration of all the issues and the possible implications of another brain drain as it affects our people and the MDGs, the NMA demands as follows:

1. Immediate withdrawal of the CONTISS circular and approved allowances as it affects Medical/ Dental practitioners.

2. Approval and re-institution of the MSS/ MSSS Salary Structure as updated as the basis for remuneration for Medical and Dental practitioners.

3. Creation of a Medical Service Commission for conceptualization and implementation of Medical services in Nigeria.

4. Cause the creation of the position of Surgeon General/ Minister of Health.

5. Pay the arrears of monetization to all doctors.

6. All Doctors in the federation including state and local government Doctors must also be beneficiaries.

OUR POSITION

The NMA posits as follows:

1. That the Federal Government be given 21days ultimatum with effect from 12th of February, 2007 to address the grievances of the Association.

2. That at the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum, the Nigerian Medical Association will direct all her members nationwide to withdraw total services immediately.

3. That during these 21 days, doctors nationwide will wear black arm bands as a symbol of sympathy towards our deteriorating medical standards.

4. That during the last 7 days of the 21 days ultimatum all doctors shall embark on a work to rule action by withdrawing call-duty services.

5. Government should as a matter of moral responsibility stop further treatment of Government Officials with tax payers’ money abroad. Government should rather spend the money to improve health services in Nigeria.

6. The NMA wishes to use this medium to appeal to all well-meaning persons to prevail on the Federal Government to act promptly to avert this impending and preventable crisis. Our health sector can do without this crisis.

Dr. Daniel Gana, mni President

Dr. Is’haq Abdul Secretary-General