Abuja: A group of 47 Nigerian medical students who escaped war-torn Sudan in May 2023 are now struggling to register for the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council (MDCN) examination due to a document snag. The students, many of whom fled or were evacuated by the Federal Government without exit visas, are currently racing against time to meet the registration deadline, with their future careers hanging in the balance.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, these students, who were enrolled at Sudan International University (SIU), were evacuated to Nigeria during the 2023 conflict in Sudan while in their final year of study. With the approval of the National Universities Commission (NUC), they were permitted to continue their academic programme at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in Sokoto. Speaking to NAN on Sunday in Abuja, one student noted that they successfully completed their studies and graduated in 2024, receiving certificates as students of SIU. They are now preparing to sit for the MDCN examinations but face challenges due to the lack of necessary visa documents.
The President of the Nigerian Students Association at SIU, Najid Hassan, confirmed that due to the war in Sudan, Nigerian students were evacuated by the Federal Government. Hassan explained that with NUC approval, the affected students were allowed to continue their academic programme at UDUTH following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SIU and UDUTH. After resuming studies at UDUTH in December 2023, the students completed clinical rotations and examinations, graduating in October 2024. However, they encountered difficulties registering for the MDCN exams due to missing visa documents, as their passports remained in Sudan during the emergency evacuation.
NAN reports that MDCN, established by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, is the regulatory body for Medicine and Dentistry in Nigeria. The Act empowers the council to conduct assessment exams for holders of foreign medical or dental qualifications. One requirement is submitting relevant portions of international passports, including visa and arrival/departure stamps. In a 2024 publication, MDCN Registrar Dr. Fatima Kyari addressed the issue, noting the council’s efforts to create remediation pathways for students affected by conflicts and pandemics.
The Federal Ministry of Education, through Director of University Education Hajiya Rakiya Ilyasu, acknowledged the situation and advised the students to formally write to the Minister of Education for resolution. NUC Deputy Executive Secretary Chris Maiyaki also suggested contacting the Ministry of Education. However, efforts by NAN to obtain responses from relevant authorities, including the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, were unsuccessful.