Follow Us on Google
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted 250 foreign-trained medical and dental graduates into the Nigerian healthcare system, charging them to uphold professional ethics, prioritise patient safety and contribute to strengthening healthcare delivery in the country.
The inductees, comprising 238 medical doctors and 12 dentists, successfully passed the Council’s assessment held from June 10 to 11, at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Chairman of the MDCN, Prof. Afolabi Lesi, gave the charge yesterday in Abuja during the induction ceremony for the newly qualified foreign-trained medical and dental practitioners.
Lesi described the ceremony as a defining moment in the careers of the inductees, stressing that the conferment of provisional licences was not merely an endorsement of their competence but a commitment to protect lives, preserve human dignity and uphold public trust in the medical profession.
He urged the new practitioners to allow professional ethics to guide their clinical decisions, noting that competence alone was insufficient to sustain public confidence in healthcare professionals.
“While competence earns respect, it is integrity that sustains trust; an essential currency in the relationship between healthcare providers and patients,” he said.
The MDCN chairman stressed the importance of treating patients as human beings rather than statistics, noting that every diagnosis carried emotional consequences while every clinical decision had moral implications.
He, therefore, urged the inductees to combine technical proficiency with empathy, sensitivity and sound ethical judgment.
He further noted that the new practitioners were joining the profession at a critical period in Nigeria’s healthcare development, with the Federal Government pursuing reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda to expand universal health coverage, strengthen primary healthcare and improve the country’s health workforce.
Other News
He said the agenda also seeks to improve health workforce retention, reduce medical tourism through stronger local capacity, accelerate digital transformation and improve healthcare financing and accountability.
According to him, the newly inducted doctors and dentists had an important role to play in translating government policies into tangible healthcare outcomes for Nigerians. “Policies, however well-designed, do not treat patients; it is professionals who translate policy into impact.”
He further urged the foreign-trained graduates to see their international exposure as an advantage while adapting their knowledge and skills to Nigeria’s peculiar healthcare environment.
He encouraged them to embrace lifelong learning, innovation, mentorship and service, stressing that the quality of the health system depends not only on infrastructure and equipment but also on the character and professionalism of healthcare workers.
In his speech, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the Director and Head of Dentistry in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Gloria Uzoigwe urged the newly inducted doctors and dentists to consider their professional skills as a national asset and contribute to the development of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The minister congratulated the inductees, describing their transition from students of medicine to practising professionals as a solemn responsibility to preserve lives, alleviate suffering and promote the wellbeing of Nigerians.
He urged them to remember that medicine is more than a profession, but a calling requiring compassion, accountability and commitment to excellence. “To this end, Nigerian patients expect you to uphold the dignity of every individual irrespective of age, gender, religion, ethnicity, economic status or social background.”
Pate also noted that the inductees were entering the profession at a time of rapid transformation in healthcare, driven by artificial intelligence, telemedicine and digital health technologies.
He confirmed that Nigeria is faced with major health challenges, including communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child mortality, mental health concerns, emerging infectious diseases and the growing impact of climate change, hence he challenged the new generation of doctors to become adaptable, innovative, research-oriented and committed to lifelong professional development.
