Date: 2016-10-05

Upholding the ethics of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) profession was the focus yesterday as it witnessed the induction of fresh doctors.

The registrar of the council, Dr. Abdulmumini Ibrahim, spoke at the 33rd professional initiation of medical graduates of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

Ibrahim said the violation of ethical standards among medical doctors, had recently compelled the council to close down some facilities.

He added that the need for professionalism became crucial, despite the alleged shortage of medical doctors to meet the health needs of the country's population. A total of 53 fresh doctors took the Hippocratic oath at the ceremony, which was presided over by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Gabriel Olatunji, who stood in for the VC Prof. Abdulganiy Ambali.

The oath brings to 3, 359, the number of medical doctors that the university has produced since 1983.

Dr. Zainat Saad, who represented the MDCN registrar noted that although it is painful whenever the council has reason to discipline one of its own, it would not hesitate to do so for the safety of human lives.

She urged the new medical doctors to treat their patients with compassion, fairness, justice and humility. The VC had justified the university's decision to invest heavily in medical education.

According to him, those who are saddled with the responsibility of saving lives deserve to be given special attention in the society.

He added that the need to ensure that the students are trained to meet international standards, made the university to provide them with the necessary support and facilities.

Ambali promised that under his administration, the university would ensure that its medical school is able to rank among the best in the world.

He commended the graduands whom, he said, had broken the record as the single most successful set in the history of the university.