The Nigerian Medical and Dental Council (MDCN) has stated that Nigeria will not accept medical and dental degrees issued by Ukrainian institutions from 2022.
“We wish to inform the General Public that Medical and Dental Degree Certificates issued by Medical Schools from Ukraine from 2022 will NOT be honoured by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria until when normal academic activities resume,” the council which regulates the medical profession in Nigeria said in a statement published on its official Twitter handle.
The decision is because of the ongoing war in Ukraine that has seen many of its higher institutions closed for physical classes. Many of them are still, however, holding online classes, something the MDCN is against for medical and dental programmes.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Council categorically states that online medical training done in any part of the world is short of acceptable standard and is not recognised by the MDCN,” it said.
The MDXN has advised Nigerian students who are currently studying medicine or dentistry in Ukrainian medical schools to look to transfer their studentship to other accredited medical learning institutions outside of Ukraine to complete their degrees.
Tajudeen Sanusi, MDCN’s registrar, said the council’s position was to protect Nigerians.
“Tell me anywhere in the world where they are studying medicine online. When you have your lectures in the classroom, you move to the hospital which is the most important…,” he said.
“We have made provision for whoever wants to transfer to Nigerian university medical college, so why are they doing online? You want to put the health of Nigerians and other people living in this country in jeopardy? I won’t do that,” Mr Sanusi said.
