Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), has threatened to “completely shut down” the Medical College of Abia State University Uturu (ABSU), “if it fails to pass accreditation next week”.

The Registrar of the Council, Dr T.A.B Sanusi, who gave the threat during the maiden induction of Gregory University Uturu (GUU), medical doctors, at Michael Okpara Auditorium Umuahia, said that the forthcoming accreditation “will be a make or mar” for the College.

ABSU Medical College lost accreditation early 2022 following the state of inactivity of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba (ABSUTH), as a result of incessant strike actions by doctors who were then owed for over 24 months.

Dr Sanusi advised the State Government and the university Management to ensure that the necessary facilities were put in place so that the college could scale through.

He also regretted that “Abia is lagging behind” in case of hospitals for housemanship but commended the efforts of the Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, towards salvaging the situation.

Gov. Alex Otti had during a media parley last Friday, revealed that new equipment had been procured for the ABSU, expressing confidence that the accreditation would be successful.

Meanwhile the MDCN Registrar explained that the reason the “Council is strict on accreditation for Medical Colleges is to ensure quality of their products.”

” What we fail to do today will hunt us in future; that’s why it looks as if MDCN accreditation is too harsh. It’s not harsh because once a life is lost, it’s lost for ever.

” We will always do everything possible to ensure that no life is lost through negligence or malpractice. All hands must be on deck to ensure that we must actually train competent doctors who when they touch us, we will be safe,” he said.

Dr Sanusi regretted that MDCN had over 117 petitions against medical doctors, adding that another 120 are waiting for trial.

He cautioned doctors on housemanship against joining strike, reminding them that ” by Council policy”, they are not members of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD).

” If they call for strike and you join them, you are on your own because housemanship is so structured in such a way that you have 12 uninterrupted weeks in each of the postings”, he warned.

He added that “if for any reason you default, you start all over again, and the extra time you spend is at no cost to Government”.

The Registrar said that the “Council does not discriminate against private schools” in posting of fresh medical graduates for housemanship, explaining that it is determined by the availability of space in tertiary hospitals.

He reminded doctors that they were under obligation to care for their patients already on admission during industrial action.

” Strikes are recognized in labour but in the medical profession, if you must go on strike, there are procedures that you need to follow:

” By the time the strike is called, yes, you may not admit new patients but those old patients in the wards; you owe them duty of care! You have not been reported, that’s why we have not taken anybody up.

” You owe care of duty to any patient you have admitted. And Accident and Emergency unit must be covered 24 hours a day by way of duty roster of the striking doctors. By the time you cover Accident and Emergency and give duty care to patients on admission, it will become difficult for Government to apply ‘no work, no pay rule,” he added.

He congratulated the inductees and urged them to uphold the ethics of medical profession as they practice.

The Registrar also commended the management of GUU for its efforts in establishing and running medical school while urging them to keep improving.

In his speech, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Professor Uwaoma Uche, who spoke on behalf of the VC, Professor Augustine Uwakwe, described the maiden induction as a huge success and dream come true for the institution.

”We we started, many people did not believe us, but today, we rank among the best in South East,” he said.

He revealed that the university built some structures at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) currently used by the medical students while its 1000-bed hospital at Ezinnachi, near Okigwe had recorded 80% completion.

The DVC commended the Founder of the university, Professor Greg Ibe, for his vision, noting that the university has provided opportunities for tertiary education admission seekers in the South East and beyond to study different professional courses of their choice.

Speaking earlier, the Deputy Provost of the College, Professor Ijeoma Nduka, advised the inductees to be well behaved and care for their patients.

She also urged them to always seek second opinion when confused, and to make use of technology.

In his remarks, Gov. Alex Otti, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, commended the Founder of GUU for his huge investment in the critical sector of education, and expressed the readiness of his administration to support and partner “progressives” in moving the state forward.

He charged the inductees to be focused and shun materialism but strive to break records in the medical profession.

Meanwhile, Dr Davies Glory Oluwasijibomi, emerged as the Overall Best Graduating student, with a lot of awards. (Vanguard)

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