Achiever Peterson
June 29, 2015 – The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), today challenged President Muhmmadu Buhari to constitute his cabinet, noting that”delay is dangerous.”
The association also pleaded with Resident Doctors to call off their strike in public interest. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, MDCAN’s President, Dr Steve Oluwole, expressed great concern over refusal of Buhari to name his cabinet.
“It is obvious, we have concerns; we are not isolated, we are not the only ones affected, there are certain issues that we want to raise or oppose but we can’t do. But we cannot say because it is a new government coming in. Even if it is another party that takes over, things move within hours, so we can’t say because it is a new party and government that is why it is so,” he said.
MDCAN president called on Buhari to move fast in addressing the vacuum created in the running of the government.
“We want the president to expedite action because, it becomes indefensible to our own democracy where it looks like there is vacuum, no movement in that ministry.”
He observed that there is an urgency to “have a functional government, not just have elections, or constitute National Assembly like we have now, that is not sufficient, and I think our patience is running out now as a nation.”
MDCAN President said the appointment of health minister by the Buhari’s administration should take into consideration in appointing “not just a doctor but somebody who has the basic medical qualification, post – graduate qualifications and know public health.”
Oluwole also called on medical consultants in the country to return to work.
Oluwole mandated “all branches of MDCAN to ensure that consultants restore services in all specialities with the full complement of staff assigned to them to discharge their duties.”
He also urged “government to provide unified framework for the implementation of skipping in tertiary hospitals if it is unwilling to abolish it as initially demanded by the NMA.”
