PAYMENT OF ANNUAL PRACTISING FEES AND REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS BY MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS AND DENTAL SURGEONS. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has observed that medical practitioners and dental surgeons practise the professions for years without paying the annual practicing fees as stipulated by law. It has also been observed that this flagrant disregard for the law is condoned by medical practitioners and dental surgeons who are in administrative positions in our health institutions, including those in training schools, in both the public and private sectors We would like to call your attention to the provisions of the law in sections 14 and 18 of the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Act Cap M8 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004. This is quoted herein for ease of reference: “A person shall not hold an appointment or practise as a medical practitioner or dental surgeon in Nigeria unless he is registered with the Council under the provisions of the Act. No medical practitioner or dental surgeon shall practise as such, in any year, unless he has paid to the Council in respect of that year, the appropriate practising fees. Any medical practitioner or dental surgeon who, in respect of any year, and without paying the prescribed practising fees practises as such, shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction shall be liable; a. in the case of a first offence, to a fine of twice the prescribed practicing fees; and b. in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to a fine of not less than ten times the prescribed fees, And if the medical practitioner or dental surgeon is in the employment of any person, that person shall also be guilty of an offence and punished in like manner as the medical practitioner or dental surgeon except he proves that the failure to pay the practising fees is without his knowledge, consent or connivance.” Practitioners involved in professional misconduct committed at a time they had not paid the practising fee, shhall be liable to sanction even if they subsequently paid the fee and surcharge for late payment. All medical practitioners and dental surgeons especially those in administrative positions in health institutions, are advised to take due notice of this provision of the law and ensure that they meet this commitment promptly, as Council will view conviction under this section seriously. The Regulations of Council require that practitioners pay their practising fees for the ensuing year before 31st December of the preceding year in order to remain currently licensed on the first day of the New Year. It should also be noted that practising as a specialist in any branch of medicine or dentistry without registering with the Council as a specialist is an offence. The Inspectorate department of the Council shall carry out spot checks and impromptu visits to apprehend practitioners who practise without paying practicing fees. Please do the right thing. Members of the professions are encouraged to cooperate with Council at all times in carrying out this task of sanitizing the professions so as to protect the public. Signed Dr. A A Ibrahim mni Registrar
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 15:12:27 +0000
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