The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has lamented that out of the 130,000 medical practitioners the Council had registered since inception, only 58,000 showed up to renew their licenses in the year 2023.
The remaining 78,000 medical practitioners, the Council believed, had migrated to other countries across the globe.
The Registrar of the MDCN, Dr. Fatima Kyari, gave the statistics during the induction/oath-taking ceremony of 20 newly qualified doctors at the Edo State University, Uzairue for the 2022/2023 batch B Medicine and Surgery graduates.
The Registrar, who was represented by the Deputy Registrar, Dr. Victor Kolawole, while reiterating that the Medical and Dental Council was mandated to regulate the practice of medicine, dental, and alternative medicine in Nigeria, lamented that “In 2023, as a result of the increase in migration of doctors outside the country, only 58,000 doctors have renewed their annual practice license.
“By this induction of 20 new doctors into the health workforce in Nigeria, we hope that other institutions will follow suit even as the government has said that the quota should be increased in all our training centers”.
She, however, admonished the new medical practitioners to uphold the sanity of the profession and be law-abiding as the council was mandated to regulate the activities of the practitioners and as well punish offenders.
In his opening address, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Emmanuel Aluyor, said that the occasion marked a significant milestone in the lives of the graduates and a proud moment for the university.
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Professor Aluyor appreciated Governor Godwin Obaseki for his unwavering support to the university, saying with his support, “the university operates its teaching hospital, the Edo State University Teaching Hospital.”
According to him, the significant upgrade of the Central Hospital Auchi to Edo State University Teaching Hospital had enhanced facilities for the training of the medical students and uplifted the standard of healthcare services in Edo North Senatorial District and its environs.
The Vice-Chancellor stated that the university was established to address the growing demand for quality tertiary education in Edo State and Nigeria, having recognized that nurturing human capital through education is paramount for meaningful development.
Congratulating the newly qualified doctors on their significant achievement, he said their professional journey had just commenced, just as he expressed the confidence that they would bring honor to the University and MDCN.
Dr. Ofunre Eboreime, the guest lecturer at the occasion, who spoke on the topic: “The Life That is Worth Living: A Doctor is in the Service to God and Humanity,” said doctors were revered for medical expertise dedicated to alleviating human suffering and promoting health services.
He said becoming a doctor required sacrifices, a special kind of dedication, a high level of selflessness, and a strong desire to help others.
Dr. Eboreime highlighted the components of service to include humility, integrity, balanced service to God and man, maintenance of a committed and resilient attitude, even in the face of adversity, gratitude for the opportunity to serve, blessings, and lessons learned along the way, and help foster a positive outlook and a sense of joy in the service of others.
On her part, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for the recorded achievement since the establishment of the University.
She said that Governor Obaseki was interested in ensuring that the tertiary institutions in the state were producing world-class graduates, particularly as he had continued to implement the education reform under the Edo Best agenda.