Posted on: Wed 25-10-2023

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has deplored attempts to interfere with regulation and standards in the country, as it relates to licensing of foreign-trained medical graduates.   

It noted that even when most of them fail the relevant examinations in the country, the foreign medical students engage in several unprofessional acts to get licence.

The body lamented that certain individuals and bodies have been leveraging political powers to foist unqualified persons on Nigerians as doctors.   

Chairman, Lagos chapter of the association, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, who made the disclosure yesterday at a press briefing to mark the 2023 Physicians’ Week, added that the NMA had painstakingly reviewed processes and relevant examinations, advising any medical graduate that fails to seek help, and not intimidation and blackmail.   He said if Nigerian-trained doctors and dentists were not good products, they would not be in high demand across the globe.

The association urged the concerned authorities to resist from being used to compromise standards, while charging the government to immediately investigate the quality of medical education being offered to Nigerians abroad.

Olowojebutu also decried the ‘routine incapacitation of the Medical and Dental Council (MDCN)’, noting that the enabling Act infers it runs uninterruptedly. 

He said the practice where the government does not timely reconstitute the council, compromises the ability to effectively regulate medical practice.   

The Lagos NMA boss observed with sadness that the development resulted in the Investigative Panel and Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Tribunal, two major organs of the council, not being constituted.

Consequently, he said, no case of medical negligence or malpractice can be investigated or tried. He opposed the government’s plan to stop funding the MDCN from next year, describing the move as ill-conceived and capable of spelling doom for the sector.

While regretting the frequent killing of doctors and dentists, as well the brain drain in the system, Olowojebutu urged action and an end to lip service.   

NMA charged the Cross River and Abia governments on return of Prof. Ekanem Philip Ephraim and Prof. U.U. Iweha, vowing that it would not relent in asking about their whereabouts.

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