.Recalls trying moments
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The immediate past registrar and chief executive officer of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr. Abdulmumini Ibrahim, has bowed out of the Council after completing a two tenure meritorious service.
Ibrahim who referred to staff of the Council as the greatest asset therein, said more funding for the organisation was needed in tackling it’s challenges and encouraged stakeholders to renew their practising license.
The former boss who was filled with nostalgia as he spoke concerning disciplinary measures on erring doctors and the Act that established the Council, recalled how he was abducted, and referred to it as one of the risks associated with the job, especially in the face of truth. He encouraged the staff to be law abiding and extend the same cooperation to the in-coming registrar.
“The main challenge is funding. It is not as adequate as been thought. When talking of funding, it is expected from the government aspect and also from stakeholders. Like any other organisation, funding from government can always never be enough. The collection we do from stakeholders in the name of practising license, letters of good standing, registration and other services we offer is barely adequate because we have a lot of defaulters who do not want to be current in their licensing.”
”The Act in setting the Council is very clear about procedures that deal with disciplinary action in disciplining a doctor. First, there must be a complaint, which we receive almost on a daily basis. The complaint will be investigated but before investigating the complaint, the doctor involved must be confronted for him to be aware that there has been a complaint against him. The complainer is subjected to investigation by the investigation panel and fair hearing is given. Both the doctor and complainer face the panel.
“At the end, if a prima facie case is established against the doctor, he/she will face the disciplinary tribunal. The tribunal like any other court of law has the same status just like the High Court and conducts its proceedings in public because journalists and other interested individuals are allowed to come and watch. At the end of the deliberation and arguments between the prosecutor and defence and the doctor is found wanting, he/she is sanctioned according to the law.
“I can vividly recall while I was acting in Lagos, the then registrar had a rough time with the Council and was sent on suspension while I was asked to act, he went to court and got a court injunction to return to his office and in the course of doing that, I think the law enforcement agents were not helping him to enforce the judgement and I had to be attacked in my own house, abducted and was to be taken straight to Ikoyi Prison that time.
“However, the prison protested that they hadn’t seen any warrant for me to be detained there. The whole office rose against it and it was not easy for him. I’m so grateful to my creator, the Almighty God and to my staff who are the greatest asset of this organisation.”
