Reps Probe Alleged Discriminatory Practices In Doctors Recruitment At UCTH …Calls For Suspension Of CMD To Enable Smooth Investigation

By Alkassim Bala Tsakuwa, Abuja

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Health Institutions to immediately commence investigation into allegations of discriminatory practices by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof Ikpeme Asanye Ikpeme against newly recruited medical doctors sent to the institution for their mandatory medical Housemanship.

The committee is to report back to the House within four (4) weeks.

It also called for the immediate suspension of the CMD by the Federal Ministry of Health, to ensure he does not interfere with the investigation to be conducted by the committee on Health Institutions.

This followed the resolution on a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Iduma Enwo Igariwey at the Plenary on Thursday.

Presenting the motion, he stated that, there are disturbing reports in the print, electronic and social media alleging that, the Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital Professor Ikpeme A. Ikpeme, rejected a list of 17 newly graduated medical doctors posted to the institution by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (NMDC) – the regulatory body of Teaching Hospitals, for their one year mandatory housemanship.

According to the lawmaker, the CMD allegedly rejected the entire list of 17 names on the ground that 15 of the 17 names are of Igbo extraction.

Hon. Igariwey lamented that, inspite of entreaties from the National Association of Resident Doctors of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital; and the Nigerian Medical Association Cross River Branch, Prof Ikpeme has stood his ground to reject the list on account of the high number of Igbo applicants.

The lawmaker added, “By rejecting a bonafide list of Medical Doctors sent to him by the regulatory body (NMDC), on ground of tribe/region, Prof Ikpeme is in dangerous violation of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that seeks to protect citizens from discrimination on account of tribe and tongue.

“Prof Ikpeme’s conduct is further compounding the challenges confronting our health care system, and the efforts of the current administration, being that Nigeria’s fragile health care system is facing a critical manpower deficit, as the number of licensed doctors has dropped to about 40,000, far below the estimated 300,000 needed to adequately serve Nigeria’s health care needs (see Punch Healthwise Report)”.

The House frowns at the conduct of the CMD who is a highly placed federal officer which it said encourages brain drain in the Health sector, and more importantly further fractures the delicate ethnic fault lines of our union, leading to divisiveness, insecurity and instability.