The Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State chapter, has called on the Federal Government to urgently reconstitute the full membership of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and other boards in the federal health sector.
The association said the call became more urgent following the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi Esege, son of renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and the controversy surrounding the findings of a medical investigation panel set up to examine allegations of negligence linked to the child’s death.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Chairman of NMA Lagos, Dr. Saheed Kehinde, said the absence of a fully constituted MDCN had created gaps in the disciplinary process within the medical profession.
According to him, the council, when fully constituted, has the authority to convene the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, which is responsible for handling cases of professional misconduct and medical negligence.
“The NMA Lagos believes that the MDCN remains the primary regulatory body where Nigerians can seek justice in cases of medical negligence,” Kehinde said.
He explained that the recent recommendations issued by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel on the death of the toddler highlighted the urgent need for the Federal Government to complete the council’s composition.
“The report on the death of the 21-month-old child has again exposed the need for the Federal Government to immediately appoint other members of the MDCN so that the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal can be properly constituted,” he said.
The investigation panel had earlier suspended medical practitioners from two hospitals connected to the case — Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital and Atlantis Paediatric Hospital — while a coroner’s inquest into the child’s death is ongoing.
However, Kehinde criticised the process adopted by the panel, arguing that it appeared punitive rather than investigative.
“The manner in which the report of the investigation panel was handled and widely reported in the media, including the outrage on social media, is unacceptable and contrary to the principle of fair hearing,” he stated.
He added that without a fully operational disciplinary tribunal, medical practitioners facing allegations could be subjected to prolonged investigations and mental strain.
“The inauguration of the full council will prevent endless disciplinary actions against practitioners who have been awaiting final decisions from the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal,” he said.
The NMA chairman also questioned the effectiveness of the council in its current form, noting that although President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Professor Afolabi Lesi as chairman of the MDCN board in 2024, other members of the council are yet to be appointed.
“In the present situation, only the chairman has been appointed for a long time while other members of the council have not been constituted. This raises questions about the value of such an appointment,” Kehinde said.
He warned that the delay in appointing members of the council and boards of federal health institutions reflects deeper systemic problems within the Federal Ministry of Health.
“The failure to appoint members of the council and other boards has further exposed systemic weaknesses in the health sector. This trend is dangerous, unacceptable and disappointing,” he added.
