Fake ophthalmologist caught at Madina Hospital on HWN SPOTLIGHT

The Dental and Medical Council of Nigeria has warned owners of private clinics/hospitals to desist from employing the services of expatriate, who are not certified by the council.

Head of the Inspectorate Department of the council, Dr. Okuokenye Henry, said this in Gombe yesterday when he visited the Madina Specialist Eye Centre and Diagnostic.

When an expatriate comes to Nigeria to practice, he must meet basic requirements. If he is carrying another country’s result, he must attend a four month course and write an examination before he can be issued license to practice in Nigeria,” he said.

He added: “Among others functions, the council also identify quakes in the profession, and hands them over to law enforcement agencies. The council is empowered by law to regulate the practice of medicine by ensuring standard in the country”.

He said he was at the Madina Hospital because of a petition that a Pakistani, Dr Najeeb Ur-Rahaman Abro, who is not an ophthalmologist was working at the hospital as one.

We did not even give him a license to practice in Nigeria, but he went ahead and started practicing,” he said. He further directed the proprietor of the hospital to dismiss the doctor.

He also advised the proprietor to look for a medical practitioner to manage the hospital for him, since he is not a doctor.

Also speaking, Dr Edward Subi, chairman, Gombe State Private Hospital Registration Regulation Agency, said before a private hospital can commence operation, it should have suitable accommodation, adequate and qualified personnel as well as  a license to practice.

Responding, Alhaji Auwal Abare, proprietor of the hospital, said the hospital will work to meet all requirements.

Source: DailyTrust, HWN Africa.