The Federal government has barred all medical graduates from participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) until they have secured practice licence from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The Registrar/Chief Executive of MDCN, Dr. Abdulmumini Ibrahim while addressing a press conference in Abuja, explained that this decision stemmed from the level of quackery displayed by some of the Youth Corps members posted mostly to rural areas to provide medical services.
Ibrahim said “There has been increasing number of personal non-grata people who are not trained impersonating as medical doctor. The NYSC has inundated us with complaints. Those who have completed their one year internship have been given certificates.
“Most corpers are sent to rural areas. They can only go to service upon presentation of their practice license.
“The council directed that the practice of admitting persons into the NYSC as doctors on the strength of receipt of payment of application fee for full registration be discontinued.
The practice had become a means of quacks
to gain advantage into the scheme.
“This decision was communicated to the NYSC and it was implemented with effect from the orientation camp in May, that only fully registered doctors should be admitted into the
scheme.
Accredited internship training centres were written informing them of this policy.
“The doctors were informed to submit their duly completed and properly signed forms, at least one month to the date of opening of the orientation camp. Most did and have received their certificates of full registration.
A few have problems with their postings which have to be clarified and rectified before their names could be entered into the register.”
He added that there are over 78,000 registered doctors in Nigeria.
He said “There are over 78,000 doctors duly
registered in Nigeria; but that does not translate to those practising in the country. The number practising in Nigeria are less than 40,000.
“The Act establishing the MDCN is long due for review. In other countries, disciplinary organs are free to fine law breakers, but not so in Nigeria.
The Medical and Dental Tribunal cannot enforce more than what is within its mandate. The process of the review of the Act is already being completed.”
Credit: Herald
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