Four doctors have been suspended by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria from practising medicine.
The decision was made known via the social platforms of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria on Monday.
It was alleged that a registered medical practitioner or dental surgeon has misbehaved in a professional respect by the Investigation Panel, which is the statutory body with the mandate to investigate any case.
The 15-member panel must all be registered medical practitioners or dental surgeons, saying that the PD department receives and processes allegations of professional misconduct against medical doctors and dental surgeons from members of the public as specified in the Standing Orders and Rules of Procedure of the MDPIP.
It explained that the Head of the Department coordinates the activities of the department and serves as the secretary to the Investigation, saying, “The Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel has ordered the Interim Suspension from the Medical Profession in Nigeria of the following registered medical practitioners: 1. Dr Ejike Ferdinand Orji. 2. Dr. Richard Chukwujekwu Okoye. 3. Dr. Olalekan Olatise. 4. Dr. Buliaminu Adebayo Adigun.”
It added that the registered practitioners are not allowed to practice Medicine in Nigeria until the cases against them are determined by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, stressing that notices of their suspension have been communicated to them and relevant institutions to enforce this order.
The Registrar of the MDCN, Dr Tajudeen Sanusi, explained that the doctors were suspended last week, saying that he has not been briefed because he is not a member of the investigative panel. Still, the panel is one of the council’s disciplinary organs, and it conducts a preliminary investigation into alleged professional misconduct.
He stated that after their Investigation, the doctors are set free, or the matter is transmitted to the tribunal.
He said that if doctors constitute a danger to public health, the panel would suspend them, pointing out that that was what happened as nobody can say anything about it until the tribunal is convened.