The Federal Government has issued a strong caution to newly inducted foreign-trained medical practitioners, urging them to uphold the highest standards of ethics and discipline or face appropriate sanctions from regulatory authorities.

The government also reaffirmed that Nigerian doctors are highly valued in the global medical workforce and urged the new inductees to actively preserve this reputation through continuous demonstration of excellence, integrity, and professionalism in their practice.

At the induction ceremony of 348 medical and dental graduates held on Tuesday in Abuja, the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Prof. Fatima Kyari, stressed that the professional oath they took legally and morally binds them to strict professional standards of conduct.

Kyari noted that Nigerian healthcare professionals are highly sought after globally due to the quality of their strong training and their consistent ability to excel across diverse medical systems worldwide. She explained that the induction process formally establishes a moral and legal pact between the MDCN and the new practitioners.

She reminded the new doctors that the Council is entrusting them with a significant responsibility guided by strict ethical and professional expectations. Kyari specifically warned that securing housemanship placements through bribery or any form of inducement constitutes a punishable offence, unequivocally describing such acts as both unethical and criminal.

Reaffirming the global respect currently enjoyed by Nigerian medical professionals, the Registrar urged the inductees to contribute positively to that established legacy through their dedication and ethical conduct.

Professor Kyari added that the MDCN will thoroughly investigate any breach of professional conduct reported against them, with penalties for confirmed infractions ranging from formal warnings and periods of suspension to the ultimate removal of their names from the professional register.

Also speaking at the induction ceremony, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Bala Audu, advised the inductees to conduct themselves at all times with dignity and responsibility. He stressed that society justly expects higher moral standards from medical practitioners, both while they are on and off duty.