Senate has urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to allow Nigerian medical graduands from Ukraine and Sudan, where war did not affect their academic activities to sit for MDCN exams in July and Nov without any discrimination.
It also urged MDCN to in no distant time, work toward the conduct of the MDCN exams in each geo-political zones of the country like the Law Schools, to reduce the cost on the students and their parents.
Senate resolutions followed adoption of a motion at plenary on Tuesday.
The motion titled: “Discrimination Against Medical Graduands from Ukraine by Nigerian Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria was sponsored by Sen. Oyewumi, Olalere (PDP Osun Central)
Olalere in his lead debate said the issue of medical graduates from Ukraine universities has drawn attention of 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 exam like other students, or at best, organise a makeup programme for them before the exam.
According to him, the 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.
He said the concerned parents of the affected students had visited the National Assembly complex to lodge their complain during the vacation of the Senate for extension of the deadline for payment to one month from one and half week.
Senator Olalere, who is Senate Deputy Minority leader said the war in Ukraine affected the eastern part of Ukraine and KIV, the capital, adding that western Ukraine were not affected.
According to him, the students were in campus doing their programme unhindered as confirmed by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigeria.
He said since the war in Ukraine did not affect all the universities, especially, students in Western parts of Ukraine, students who graduated from those universities in 2023 should be allowed to sit for MDCN exams henceforth without any hindrance.
Other senators, who supported the motion includes Senators Adamu Alero (PDP Kebbi Central), Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi Central), among others.
Senate also urged the Committee of Nigerian Vice Chancellors to allow Nigerian students arriving from war turn countries to be admitted into Nigerian universities to complete their studies.
President of Senate 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 believe that the resolutions of Senate would be adhered to by MDCN and the Vice Chancellors to ameliorate sufferings of concerned Nigerian medical graduates from the war affected nations.
