A total of 496 foreign trained medical and dental graduates failed the assessment examination conducted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto, in November 2021.
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The assessment examination is mandatory for all foreign trained medical doctors wishing to obtain certification to practice in Nigeria.
The Chairman of Board of MDCN, Abba Waziri Hassan, who disclosed this at the formal inauguration of the MDCN’s 1000 seater auditorium and induction ceremony for foreign medical and dental graduates held yesterday, said the poor performance of the foreign medical doctors was a reflection of the quality of training they received in some of the countries abroad.
He said: “A total of 826 medical and dental candidates appeared for the examination. Out of this number 341 medical doctors representing 41.3 per cent and 16 dental surgeons representing 53.3 per cent passed, giving a grand total of 357.”
He said overall percentage pass was lower than the previous one held in June 2020, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Hassan said: “The above is a reflection of the quality of training they received in some of those countries abroad. It is very important for those sponsoring students for overseas training to seek guidance from the MDCN and NUC as to which medical or dental schools abroad are considered of good standards.”
He said schools’ guide was also available on the MDCN website and world directorate of medical schools (WDMS).
According to the chairman, MDCN equally decided to publish on its website the curriculum for the training which was developed by the MDCN committee on the attachment programme to guide the candidates in preparation for future examinations.
He said the conduct of the examination had been transparent having been jointly executed with JAMB which handled the Computer Based Test (CBT) aspect of the examination.
Speaking on the reasons some students go for medical studies abroad, Hassan said as long as there are not enough vacancies to absorb qualified candidates, “in our medical and dental colleges, some have to go abroad for Medical and Dental training.”
He however said that efforts were being made by the MDCN and the NUC to increase carrying capacities of the existing Medical and Dental colleges in the country.
“We encourage both government and private individuals to establish new medical and dental schools. Parents, guardians and state governments should be cautious as to which schools/countries to send their wards for training,” he said.
The Minister, Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who was represented at occasion by the Permanent Secretary said maintenance of standards in the medical professional was a major way curbing foreign medical trips by Nigeria.
The minister charged the MDCN to effectively perform its function of regulating medical and dental practice.
He said effective regulation would certainly lead to the production of high quality of doctors and dentists and stem the menace of quakery in the professions.
“I therefore implore the MDCN to take the issue of accreditation of training institutions more serious to ensure that only those that meet accreditation requirements train our doctors, and ensure that only fit and proper persons are admitted into this noble profession through proper screening,” he said.
Ehanire advised the inductees to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Code of Medical Ethics as they perform their professional duties.
He added that proper training and adherence to ethnics would ultimately lead to making Nigeria a medical tourism destination in Africa, thereby discouraging and stemming outward-bound medical tourism, which has become a source of economic drain for our country.