Adebayo Adenrele
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Ekiti State Branch has distanced itself from the case of a quack doctor arrested in the state.
NMA Ekiti in a statement jointly signed by the state’s Chairman and Secretary, Dr. Babatunde Rosiji and Dr. Moses Dada, said the association frowns and totally distances herself from criminality in any form.
Recall that one ‘Dr’ Olalekan Timothy Fasipe, an employee of the Hospitals’ Management Board was arrested over allegation of forgery of his full registration certificate with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
The association said that they are working assiduously to ensure that the case is thoroughly prosecuted while warning unregistered individuals to desist from parading as medical doctors in the state.
The statement reads: “We are currently rattled with the arrest of ‘Dr’ Olalekan Timothy Fasipe, an employee of the Hospitals’ Management Board who also served as a member of our State Officers’ Committee until his arrest, on the allegation of Forgery of his full registration certificate with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
“We are in receipt of a correspondence from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria which affirmed that the name ‘Fasipe Olalekan Timothy’ is not on the Register of Medical Practitioners in Nigeria and we are aware that arising from this, he has been arrested and currently being prosecuted as advised by the MDCN.
“We must say without mincing words that our Association frowns and totally distances herself from criminality in any form and it is in this regard that we have been very cooperative as always with the relevant agencies of government to ensure that justice is done.
“We have remained in close communication with the Hospitals’ Management Board and the State Ministry of Health and Human Services and we are doing everything possible to ensure that the case is thoroughly prosecuted.
“For the avoidance of doubt, anyone whose name is not on the register of Medical Practitioners in Nigeria who parades himself as a medical doctor is an impostor and a criminal.
“Upon the recent discovery, we have communicated Mr. Olalekan Timothy Fasipe to desist from parading himself as a doctor or as a member of our Association having been found to lack the minimal qualifications that confer such rights and we are by this release dissociating our Association from him and his activities.
“We are also using this opportunity to sound a note of warning to everyone whose name is not on the register of medical practitioners in Nigeria who may be parading himself or herself as a medical doctor in Ekiti State that the arms of the law will certainly catch up with you.
“We trust the capacity of the Nigerian Police Force and the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice to leave no stone unturned in getting to the root of this matter and expand their net to capture as many other impostors as may be within the State.
“The case in point being under investigation, we will make no further comment in order not to jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
“We are also using this medium to assure the entire citizens of our dear State to remain calm as the relevant agencies of Government continue to work on this case.
“We have devised means in conjunction with relevant agencies of government to ensure that all health practitioners in the State possess valid and up to date annual practicing licence.
“We urge our hardworking colleagues across the State not to allow this to affect their psyche as we continue the daunting task of providing uninterrupted clinical care to the teeming population of our dear State especially in the face of the increasing workload occasioned by the unabating japa trend. We advise us all to remain calm and vigilant as we join hands in stamping out medical quackery.”