100 Doctors To Face Tribunal Over Professional Misconduct

100 Doctors To Face Tribunal Over Professional Misconduct

As part of its effort to rid the medical profession of bad eggs, about 100 doctors from across the country will face a tribunal set up by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in Abuja over various professional misconduct.

The MDCN is the regulatory body of all medical and alternative medicine practitioners in Nigeria with the mandate to discipline any erring practitioner whose actions or in-actions fall short of medical professional ethics.

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Fifteen cases were brought before the tribunal two weeks ago with two convictions, while some of the cases were adjourned. Although a date has yet to be fixed for the trial, a source at the MDNC said it would hold soon with about 100 doctors involved. Counsel for one of the accused doctors, Akanni Kazeem, told our correspondent that he was awaiting the date for the trial, while also confirming that about 100 doctors would face trial for professional misconduct.

In the just-concluded trial, Dr. Jamilu Muhammad of Martha Bamaiyi General Hospital, Zuru, Kebbi State, was suspended for six months for mismanaging a pregnant woman’s case and severing the lower limb of a baby while carrying out a surgery that was deemed unnecessary.

Muhammad was accused of erroneously diagnosing the baby to have died in its mother’s womb and decided to carry out surgery in order to evacuate it from the mother. However, after severing the lower limb of the baby, it was discovered that the baby was alive.

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Also, Dr. Nasiru Ibrahim of Al-Noor Clinic and Maternity, Angwon Rogo, Jos, Plateau State, was suspended for three months each on two charges preferred against him for professional negligence.

Asked if the measure of punishment by MDCN justified the offense committed, Kazeem said evidence before the tribunal was always considered to determine the culpability of doctors on trial.

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He said, “The penalty depends on the evidence before the tribunal. We have to note that this is not a criminal trial. Even when death is involved, the tribunal will look at the negligence of the doctor on trial. There are some doctors whose guilt would lead to their names being struck off the profession.

“There is three months suspension and six months suspension. The next penalty, which is the biggest, is being suspended for life. Such a doctor will be removed from the register. However, I have always argued that there should be other punishment after the three and six months apart from total removal from the register.”