By Levinus Nwabughiogu-Abuja

House of Representatives, Tuesday, set up a fact-finding committee to  investigate the circumstances connected with the decision of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) concerning all Nigerian medical students in Ukraine.

The mission was with a view to providing a better and lasting solutions to the challenges being faced by the students.

It will be recalled that due to the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine, the students relocated to Nigeria with their education programme dislocated.

But considering a motion titled “Need to Safeguard the Academic Pursuit of Nigerian Medical Students in Ukraine” moved at the plenary by Hon. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju and Hon. Najimdeen Oyeshina Oyedeji, the House noted the plight of the medical students hitherto studying in different Universities in Ukraine, calling for their integration into the Nigerian medical education.

The motion co-sponsored by the lawmakers read thus: “the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, which is the regulatory body for Medical Professionals in Nigeria released a statement on its Twitter handle stating that Medical and Dental degree certificates issued by medical schools in Ukraine from 2022 will not be honoured by the body until the commencement of normal academic activities in Ukraine.

“The Council resolved not to recognize any online medical studies by Nigerian Students in Ukraine and any part of the world.

“These students have either completed or are still on the mandatory clinical attachment which commenced in April 2022.

“There are thousands of Nigerian Students studying Medicine and related courses in Ukrainian Universities, who by the MDCN regulations would not only be affected in their academic

pursuits but may as well be thrown into absolute jeopardy.

“The bulk of these medical students having spent between four to six years in the pursuit of their respective academic and professional ambitions, going by the MDCN regulations are in serious risk of not only losing these years of rigorous training but huge financial loses to their

parents.

“This policy, the MDCN intends to truncate the academic dreams and professional ambitions of thousands of Nigerian Medical Students in Ukraine as a result of ongoing development that is absolutely a case of force majure.

“At a time when there are very obvious and glaring dearth of medical personnel in Nigeria’s primary and secondary health institutions – with a propensity to grow worse – this insidious

policy rolled out by the MDCN may in fact have debilitating consequences on the Nation’s health sector.

“The MDCN did not explore other pragmatic and mutually benefiting strategies done by some other countries – that will enable Nigerian medical students continue with their academic programmes without delay, distortion and loss of time.

“The negative effects of the MDCN policy is far reaching and if allowed to take

effect poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s educational and medical development- ultimately soiling the image of our beloved country amongst the comity of nations”.

Adopting the motion, the House gave the committee 5 days with which to conclude the assignment and report back to the House for further legislative action.