Tribunal Sacks Three Doctors, Suspends 12 In Three Years

The Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal sacked three medical doctors and suspended 12 others between January 2019 and December 2021, The PUNCH reports.

The cases of the affected persons were among the 37 cases decided by the tribunal within the report.

The verdicts were contained in a report by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria obtained by our correspondent on Thursday.

The report revealed that the tribunal was reconstituted during the first plenary of the council in December 2018 and it had its first session between January 8 and 12, 2019.

The council, however, said the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria and the attendant disruptions impeded the frequency of tribunal sittings.

The tribunal, according to the report, found three doctors guilty of gross misconduct and directed the council’s Registrar, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, to delete their names from the register of medical practitioners in Nigeria.

The report stated, “As provided under Section 16 (1) (2) of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap M8 LFN 2004 (as amended), the tribunal found the following doctors guilty of gross misconduct in a professional respect, and directed the registrar to erase their names from the register of medical practitioners in Nigeria.”

The doctors whose names were deleted from the council’s register are Dr. Yakubu Koji of the Jimeta Clinic and Maternity, Yola; Dr. Stephen Alaiyemola of the Philadelphia Specialist Hospital, Apapa, Lagos and Dr. Sunday Elusoji of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, who has appealed the decision.

The tribunal also suspended 12 doctors found guilty of professional misconduct.

The period of the suspension ranged from three to six months.

The report shows that five doctors were convicted and admonished accordingly.

The tribunal discharged and acquitted 10 doctors from the allegations of misconduct levelled against them, while charges against seven doctors were struck out for various reasons.

Three charges, based on the report, were withdrawn by the prosecution; two of the cases were treated administratively, while two doctors died before arraignment.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Chairman of the Board of MDCN, Prof Abba Waziri, said the objective of the tribunal was to ensure satisfactory judgment to the complainants and the doctors.

He said, “The objective is to make sure that the victim is fairly treated, especially when there is loss of life. We must make sure that we are fair to the victims and doctors.

“We find out if there was any act of negligence that led to the death of the victim or if it’s just after the discharge or if the care was given satisfactorily and when there is no negligence, we then establish it and other doctors can learn from it.

“Sometimes, you find out that somebody has done his or her best but something happened and there was a loss of life or disability and that is the purpose of cross-examination.

“The tribunal has the setting of the court just like a high court. This is the second sitting this year.”

MDCN is the professional health regulatory agency for medicine, dentistry, and alternative medicine in Nigeria.