STILL ON THE MDCN AND FOREIGN TRAINED DOCTORS' MATTER
By Faith Obianuju (Judasmedia)

Let me start this write up by first commending the well meaning Nigerians who saw the points I tried to make in my previous write up and made it a subject matter of deliberation. A good number also shared the link to my post. For all these I am most grateful.

Now back to the matter. Yesterday, being the 30th day of November, 2017, the Foreign Trained doctors had a session with the senate committee on health headed by Senator Dr. Tejuoso. Also in attendance were parents of the foreign trained doctors as well as representatives from the University of Illorin. The acting registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, was notably absent. The foreign trained doctors were asked to express themselves in detail regarding the examination they had in University of Illorin Teaching Hospital on November 15 to 17, 2017. The content of their discussion was nothing more than a summarized version of the content of my previous write up, which of course, I wrote after listening to them myself.

To the bewilderment of the FTDs, University of Illorin representatives whom they had thought were sympathetic to their cause, spoke against them! According to feelers coming from the meeting, UITH reported that the foreign trained doctors could not tell the difference between the precordium (something to do with the heart) and the lower extremities (something to do with the legs),as was discovered during the OSCE (a practical examination). “When they were asked to show the precordium, they point at the feet.” Surprised the foreign trained doctors demanded for a demonstration of any practical examination on the spot. According to what I have gathered thereafter, there were five stations during the practical examination: a station where a mother of a sickle cell child was counseled, a Station for the examination of the precordium, a Station where a patient presenting with difficulty of urination was interviewed, a station where something called partograph was placed and the FTDs asked to plot something about a woman in labor, and a final Station where the candidates had to display their knowledge regarding the monkey pox virus. “If we are to go by average, each of those stations could have had 20points each, and we could have still scaled through even if we get no point for the precordium. But seriously, that UITH could stoop so low to render such a cheap lie makes lose hope in humanity. The entire OSCE was described by Prof. Adedoyin as a “deaf and dumb” examination, meaning the examiners don't say a word. So who asked whom to show the precordium?”

Another candidate expressed her disgust at the UITH revelation,”know what, I never trusted Prof. Adedoyin. From the first day we had a meeting with him and he called all of us China product, he lost my respect. And typically, as is seen with people like that, he said so many things as though he was in control. In the end we found out he was the most inconsistent human being! Imagine coming up with such a cheap lie! Over 500 candidates don't know what the precordium is? My God! The hard working consultants of UITH who took their time to teach these things during Ward rounds and elsewhere would be most embarrassed!” There was no stopping this one. Her dismay was evident! “How can anyone be at the hospital for over three months and not see at least one registrar perform a cardiovascular examination? Or a consultant discuss same? Do you know one Dr. Adeyeye, the chief examiner of UITH, organized a different tutorial outside the remedial, where over 500 candidates paid N6000 each? During that review he took time to lecture us on the precordium. I have a an audio visual recording of that session. So how can anyone say over 500 candidates mistook precordium for the feet! My gad! They are the ones who don't know what the precordium is!”

“This is a new low for UITH!” Another wrote, “I knew they were going to come up with some form of defense, but this! I don’t need to defend myself on that one. All I need to do is produce the video of Dr. Adeyeye, UITH chief examiner. Even if we were not taught in Medical School (which is 100% not possible), that lecture was good enough to bring us to speed. I am just hoping they did not give the Dental doctors the same question though. Cos, if a dentist can’t tell the difference (which again is unlikely, but not impossible), they shouldn't push it on us medical doctors.”

To push their point regarding the inconsistencies surrounding the UITH assessment test, the foreign trained doctors submitted to the senate an audio recording of a meeting they had with Prof. Adedoyin. According to them, the audio recording detailed the “truth” Prof. Adedoyin told them after the examinations.

Recall that prior to this MDCN examination, Vanguard Newspaper published an investigative report on the 7th of November, 2017 where they reported that based on their findings the UITH team are inexperienced in this sort of examination. The November examination was their first attempt. According to the report, UITH lecturers were asking the candidates what to teach (no curriculum), budgeting was also a problem as the candidates were crammed in a lecture hall good for 150 persons with no table to write on, few plastic chairs, fans and a projector that was placed adjacent to the class. There was also the problem with generating set, “we had the most difficult time in the lecture halls. We only found solace with the dedicated consultants who took time to teach us. But looking at the results published, I am now wondering if they taught us the right thing!” One candidate wrote to me.

One candidate who sent a message to my inbox made a startling claim, “I suspected something was amiss after observing the body language of Dr. Sanusi. He was up to proof a point. The multiple choice questions he gave to us was ridiculously easy. A nurse would do well in that exam. It has nothing to do with tropical medicine. It was more on anesthesia, diabetes insipidus, ophthalmology, and other unexpected questions. Those questions were drawn outside the remedial courses, and were very basic. Now since it was a computer based question, the results cannot be tampered with. Although we complained of the questions being drafted from topics outside the area of focus we were given for three months, we still did well. 91% passed the exams. It occurred to me at the time, that Sanusi wanted us to fail that exam so that he can present the questions to everyone as evidence of our incompetency. And trust me, no one who saw those questions would believe us! But we surprised him. My suspicion was confirmed when we went for the OSCE. They used pencils to score us. In more experienced centers, two examiners are placed per Station to avoid human errors or missed points. But there in UITH, only one bored examiner. The fact that they are now using the precordium as a point shows they have evil intentions for us. I even had doubts with regards the time too. Do you know in LUTH were given three minutes to examine the cardiovascular system and we had enough time, yet for just the precordium in UITH, three minutes was not enough. Honestly, the whole exam was a scam. MDCN made over N83M, the chief examiner of UITH made over N5M from us. UITH hostel management made over N2M from us. I don't want to talk of individual cash transactions made with some registrars, consultants and even Prof. Adedoyin himself. Dr. Sanusi himself has his own favourites, whom he called out. What arrangement led to that special announcement is something you and I can guess about and still be right. Sexual gratification was not left out. Registrars, lecturers, consultants etc, made assaults on our girls. Some had their way, others didn't. During our stay there, lots of business prospered. We were a blessing to those poor people there. From the petty trader and taxi driver to the hostel operators, it was all a festival of blessing. My advise to all connected with UITH is, stick to the truth. Dr. Sanusi may be a son of Kwara State and you feel bound to protect his interest, do not forget people's careers are on the line here. Think….think….think again.”

BBC Housa service and daily trust covered the meeting with the Senate in full detail. Dr. Sanusi was expected to give his own account on how he conducted the examination, however having tried to contact him personally, I was informed he left Nigeria for Dubai three days before the meeting. We will continue to hope and pray that the truth be revealed and justice is done.
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Faith Obianuju is a graduate of Mass Communication from the prestigious Madonna University, Anambra State. She is a human right activist and is currently looking for a medium to publish her articles. Her dream is to have her own online news media where she can develop her career. She can be reached via bhihscaa@gmail.com