Medical Graduates From Ukraine, Sudan Should Sit For Qualifying Exams – Senate

The Senate has urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to allow Nigerian medical graduates from Ukraine and Sudan, where war did not affect their academic activities to sit for its exams in July and Nov without any discrimination.

It also urged MDCN to work toward the conduct of the MDCN exams in each geo-political zone of the country like the Law Schools, to reduce the cost on the students and their parents.

The Senate resolutions followed adoption of a motion at plenary yesterday.

The motion titled: “Discrimination Against Medical Graduands from Ukraine by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria was sponsored by Senator Oyewumi Olalere (PDP- Osun).

Olalere in his lead debate said the issue of medical graduates from Ukraine universities has drawn the attention of the National Assembly since 2022.

He said in 2023, the House of Representatives and the Ministry of Health concluded with the Medical and Dental Council to allow the students that graduated from medical schools in Ukraine to participate

in qualifying exams like other students, or at best, organise a makeup programme for them before the exam.

He said MDCN has slated a referral programme for the 2022 graduates alone at Federal Medical Centre Gwagwalada at the cost of N1.5 million per student to be paid in one and half weeks.

Other senators who supported the motion included Senators Adamu Alero (PDP- Kebbi), Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi) among others.

The Senate also urged the Committee of Nigerian Vice Chancellors to allow Nigerian students arriving from war-torn countries to be admitted into Nigerian universities to complete their studies.

Senate President Godswill Akpiabio in his remarks, thanked the sponsor of the motion, saying that it was a popular motion and elicited comments from the lawmakers.

He expressed belief that the resolutions of the Senate would be adhered to by MDCN and the Vice Chancellors to ameliorate sufferings of concerned Nigerian medical graduates from the war affected nations.