The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has said that Nigeria is urgently in need of more medical professionals to meet the demands of its growing population, News About Nigeria reports.
Speaking at the University of Medical Sciences in Ondo during the induction ceremony for graduating medical and dental students, Dr. Victor Gbenro, MDCN Registrar, stressed the gap between Nigeria’s current healthcare workforce and the standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He noted that Nigeria’s population growth has increased the need for skilled medical personnel.
Represented by Dr. Tijjani Mandaka, Deputy Registrar and Head of Planning, Research, and Statistics at MDCN, Gbenro urged students to consider careers in medicine to help bridge this gap and meet WHO recommendations.
“We are in need of more medical doctors in the country today. We are far from what the World Health Organisation demands because our population in Nigeria keeps increasing and there is a need to meet up with the standard. Therefore, it is important for the young ones to develop interest in medicine,” he said
During the induction of the new medical and dental graduates, Gbenro said that maintaining ethical standards and upholding the fear of God in their practice is essential, warning that licenses could be revoked if they fail to honour their professional oaths.
Guest lecturer Dr. Abiodun Raymond Kuti, from the Guild of Medical Directors, spoke on the importance of authenticity in the profession, urging the new doctors to stay true to themselves while making meaningful contributions to society.
Kuti advised, “Society expects more from you, and you cannot afford to fail society.”