Just In: Management Responds To Allegations Of MDCAN Exclusion From VCship Contest!

In response to the situation, MDCAN members, who are clinical lecturers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), initiated a strike, significantly disrupting university operations. Unizik’s management, through Dr. Emma Ojukwu, special adviser to the acting vice-chancellor on public relations, urged MDCAN to engage with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to clarify whether their medical fellowship is recognized as equivalent to a PhD. The university emphasized the need for dialogue and cooperation, particularly highlighting the adverse effects of the strike on healthcare delivery in the region.

Ojukwu further elaborated that the governing council had previously deliberated on the requirement of a PhD for the VC position and welcomed MDCAN to present a delegation to the NUC for verification. He reassured MDCAN that if the NUC confirmed the equivalency of their medical fellowship to a PhD, it would be considered in the appointment process. The university authorities underscored their commitment to inclusivity and urged MDCAN to return to work for the sake of students and the broader health sector, promising to address the ongoing concerns amicably.