The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted 250 foreign-trained medical doctors and dental surgeons following their successful completion of the council’s assessment examination.
The newly inducted professionals comprise 238 medical doctors and 12 dental surgeons who passed the assessment examination conducted between 10 and 11 June 2026 at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Speaking at the induction ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, urged the new practitioners to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics as they begin their medical careers.
Pate said Nigeria’s healthcare sector continues to face significant challenges, including communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child mortality, mental health issues, emerging infectious diseases and the growing impact of climate change on public health.
He noted that advances in artificial intelligence, telemedicine and digital health are transforming healthcare delivery, making it essential for doctors to remain adaptable, innovative, research-driven and committed to lifelong learning.
The minister said Nigerians expect medical practitioners to demonstrate compassion, integrity, accountability and excellence while treating every patient with dignity, irrespective of age, gender, religion, ethnicity or socio-economic background.
Describing medicine as more than a profession, Pate said it is a calling that demands responsibility and dedication.
“Every patient you encounter will entrust you with what is often their greatest possession – their health, and sometimes, their very lives. That trust must never be taken for granted. As you take the Physician’s Oath today, remember that competence alone is not enough,” he said.
Represented by the Director and Head of Dentistry at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Gloria Uzoigwe, the minister cautioned the inductees against malpractice, negligence and all forms of unethical conduct.
He urged them to uphold honesty, humility, empathy and respect, stressing that the white coat symbolises trust, responsibility and service.
Also speaking, Chairman of the MDCN Board, Prof. Afolabi Lesi, described the induction as a significant milestone, marking the transition of the new doctors and dentists into a profession dedicated to serving humanity.
He said the ceremony represented the culmination of years of rigorous academic and professional training and the beginning of a lifelong commitment to healing, service and the preservation of human dignity.
In her remarks, the Registrar of the MDCN, Prof. Fatima Kyari, urged the newly inducted practitioners to make the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria the guiding principle of their professional practice.
She encouraged them to embrace service beyond personal comfort, uphold the highest ethical standards even when unsupervised, and remain committed to continuous learning in an ever-evolving medical profession.
