The Federal Government has urged newly inducted foreign-trained medical professionals to uphold strict adherence to professional ethics and standards.
At the induction ceremony held in Abuja on Tuesday for 348 medical and dental professionals, the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Prof. Fatima Kyari, emphasized the need for young doctors to maintain high standards and deliver excellent performance in their practice.
According to Prof. Kyari, the induction represents a formal agreement between the Council and the doctors on ethical conduct and professional responsibility in Nigeria.
She also cautioned against illegal payments, stressing, “Apart from registration fee, they are not to pay any money to be posted for Housemanship, adding that it is an offence to do so.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s global reputation for well-trained doctors, she said, “The profession is something that is watched worldwide and I know that Nigerian doctors are sought for all over the world because our doctors are well trained, they have experience and they can fit well into any situation they find themselves.”
Prof. Kyari further warned against unprofessional behavior, noting, “Anyone found wanting for misconduct or even character breach will be duly investigated by the Medical and Dental Investigative panel. If the doctor is found wanting, his case will be transferred to the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal for trial. If the doctor is found guilty, several strips of sanctions can be executed, from warnings to suspension and even total erasure and retrieval of his practising certificate.”
She also acknowledged the demands of the profession, stating, “The study and practice of medicine is very difficult and it is a whole lot of responsibility.”
The president of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Bala Audu, also addressed the new doctors, urging them to be mindful of their conduct when handling patients.
“Every aspect of your humanity will come to bear on your day-to-day responsibilities in all the roles you play in your life, not just in a patient’s care but in everything you do. You will be respected by the society and the society will expect that at all places, at all times that you will behave to a standard that is expected of you as a doctor,” he said.
