The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) says only 58,000 doctors (45 percent) renewed their annual practice licence in 2023 out of the 130,000 registered doctors in the country.
Victor Kolawole, MDCN deputy registrar, disclosed this on Friday at the induction and oath taking ceremony of the 2022/2023 batch B medicine and surgery graduates of the Edo State University.
“We presently have over 130,000 registered doctors in Nigeria,” NAN quoted Kolawole as saying.
“However, as you know, because of the increase in migration of doctors out of the country, we have about 58,000 doctors who renewed their annual practice licence in 2023 and they are those that are fit to practice in Nigeria.”
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He frowned at the emigration of doctors for greener pastures and appealed to new medical graduates to stay back and practise their profession.
“By this induction of 20 new doctors into the health workforce, we hope that other institutions will follow suit even as the government said that the quota should be increased in all our training centres,” he said.
“However, the doctors must meet the requirements to earn those increase in quota.
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“We will partner them to ensure that they meet those requirements and as we try to ensure that, standard must be upheld.”
In his welcome address, Emmanuel Aluyor, vice-chancellor of the institution, thanked Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, for his unwavering support for the university and for establishing the university teaching hospital through the conversion of the Central Hospital, Auchi.
“This significant upgrade has enhanced facilities for the training of medical students and uplifted the standard of healthcare services in Edo north and its environs,” he said.
“It is noteworthy that Edo State University Teaching Hospital Auchi is the first state-owned teaching hospital in Edo.
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“I respectfully urge the state government to sustain efforts toward improving facilities at the hospital.”
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