By Hobnob News
The University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has announced the suspension of its 17-day-old strike, effective Thursday, July 10, 2025.
This resolution was reached at an Extraordinary General Meeting held on July 9, according to a joint statement by the chapter chairman, Dr. Ibiok Usendiah, and secretary, Dr. Solomon Bassey, and made available to Hobnob News in Uyo on Sunday.
The strike, which commenced on June 26, 2025, was declared in protest against the exclusion of clinical lecturers from the eligibility criteria for the Vice Chancellor position at the University of Uyo. The association had expressed concern over the university’s refusal to recognize the postgraduate medical fellowship as equivalent to a PhD.
In what the association described as a “significant development,” the University has now issued an addendum acknowledging the postgraduate medical fellowship as a valid qualification for clinical lecturers aspiring for the Vice Chancellor role.
While the demand for an official apology from the university’s pro-chancellor remains unresolved, the medical professionals said they were moved by emotional appeals from students, whom they described as “children, mentees, and younger colleagues.”
“The strike, declared in protest of academic exclusion, has served its purpose. Though not all demands have been met, the recognition of our qualifications marks a crucial victory,” the statement read.
Clinical lecturers have been directed to resume full academic activities from Thursday, July 10, 2025, across various departments within the university.
The MDCAN reaffirmed its commitment to academic excellence and professional integrity while urging university authorities to maintain fairness and inclusion in future appointments.
