The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted 416 foreign trained Nigerian doctors to practice medicine in the country and warned them against ethical misconduct and not to join the Japa bandwagon.
Speaking at the ceremony yesterday in Abuja, Minister of State for Health and Social Dr Tunji Alausa who was represented by his Senior Special Adviser, Dr. Ismail Ajatu urged the young doctors not to be in haste to leave the country to practice abroad, adding it is not all bed of roses out there.
He appealed to the doctors to stay and help in repositioning the health sector and contributing their quota to national development.
Also speaking, MDCN Registrar, Dr Tajudeen Sanusi noted Nigeria-trained doctors are well-sought after globally because they believe that Nigeria cannot lower standards.
He however appealed to the doctors not to join the Japa train adding that if the mass exodus of skilled medical professionals is not urgently addressed, the quacks will take over the profession but the council will not allow such to happen.
Sanusi told the inductees who will soon go for housemanship that as House Officers they are not members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD,)adding that though strike is recognized in the Labour Law there are procedures that must be followed.
He said, “Whenever a total strike is declared, you still owe every patients that duty of care, you have no right to discharge the patients and those you have booked on appointments for clinics, you have to see them the accident and emergency, EPU, Labour wards must be covered 24 hours in spite of the strike by the striking doctors through duty roasters council policy.
“Housemanship is a one year structured programme and if for any reason you terminate it, you will start the process pro-bono and at no cost to the governme.
Sanusi informed the doctors that the profession is a call to serve humanity and urged them to dedicated to their duties and uphold high ethical standards.
He stated that the council is working to see how it can increase the carrying capacity for housemanship in Abuja adding that there is no space for housemanship in the FCT
Sanusi said that the MDCN Disciplinary Tribunal will not hesitate to suspend any doctor that is found guilty of professional misconduct irrespective of the status.
