By Adeola Tukuru
Abuja
Following an independent assessment on the just concluded examination by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) that qualify foreign trained doctors to be licensed to practice in Nigeria, Transparency Advocacy Initiative for Development has passed a vote of confident on the council.
The group maintained that section 3 of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act Cap M8 (2004) allowed the council to institute an assessment examination for holders of foreign medical or dental qualifications recognized by the government of the countries where such qualifications were obtained.
In a statement signed by the National coordinator of the group, Yomi David, pointed out that MDCN, did not directly administer the examination in question, as it was done by the University of Ilorin under close supervision by external examiner, while the duly signed results presented to the MDCN were published.
According to him,a total of 680 doctors sat for the exams but only 240 or about 35 per cent passed while 440 of them or 65 per cent failed the examination, which tested their understanding of the basics of medical practice.
They maintained that MDCN cannot be faulted as they neither trained nor directly tested the candidates.
Stressing that despite the growing need to reduce the doctor/patient ratio which currently stands at about 1:6000 about ten times the WHO recommended ratio of 1:600, the country must not compromise on quality of personnel being recruited not the profession, hence the need for a very strong regulator.
The group further expressed worry over recent media reports questioning the integrity of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), a body established by law to test band license competent practitioners into the medical profession.
It said” For purposes of clarity, the position of a regulator in any system that serves the public is sacrosanct and it is unbecoming when supposed beneficiaries begin to cast aspersions on the impartiality of the regulator.”
“Nigerians must discontinue the culture of influence peddling if we must progress as a nation, laid down rules must be followed by all Nigerians regardless of tribe, religion or status if this country must work.
“It is unacceptable that candidates who couldn’t pass a routine examination would resort to casting aspersions on the examiner, rather than trying again with better preparations when the next examination cycle comes around.”
It maintained “Transparency and Advocacy Initiative for Development, having independently examined the facts, is convinced that the MDCN acted in the best interest of the Nigerian people and within the ambits of the laws of the land”
“It is an indisputable fact that countless Nigerian trained medical professionals leave the shores of this country annually and they Excel abroad, so for anyone to suggest that foreign trained doctors are somehow qualified by virtue of their being trained outside Nigeria is being disingenuous and must be resisted by all well meaning Nigerians.”
We urge the Minister of Health to continue to stand firmly behind the council, in furtherance of the anticorruption agenda and posturing of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We implore those characters peddling rumours that have no basis in law or morality against the MDCN to desist from further cheapening the value of Nigerian lives.
“Politics has no place whatsoever in assessing professional competence and the regulator so saddled with the powers must be allowed to exercise such powers in a rancor free environment.”
