The Medical and Dental Council (MDC) has issued a stern warning against the use of forged certificates in the health sector, vowing to clamp down on individuals seeking to infiltrate Ghana’s medical system with fake credentials.

At a press briefing in Accra on Friday, September 5, the Council revealed that multiple cases of forged academic and professional documents had recently been uncovered during its registration and licensing processes.

According to the Registrar of the MDC, Dr. Divine Ndonbi Banyubala, these included:

Forgery of medical qualifications from Ireland and Nigeria by the spouse of a diplomat;

“These practices are not only criminal but also life-threatening. Anyone who seeks to treat patients without the requisite qualifications and training poses a grave danger to society,” the Registrar cautioned.

The Council described as a worrying rise in applications supported by questionable foreign certificates, particularly from institutions not accredited by internationally recognised medical and dental regulators.

To protect the public, the MDC announced the following measures:
Stricter verification of all certificates with issuing institutions and regulatory bodies abroad;

Immediate suspension of any applicant found to have submitted forged documents, pending prosecution.

Collaboration with security agencies to track and arrest individuals and syndicates involved in certificate fraud.

The Council also reminded hospitals, clinics, and the general public to engage only practitioners duly licensed by the MDC.
“Employers must conduct due diligence by verifying the registration status of all medical staff. Patients too have the right to demand proof of license before receiving care,” the Registrar stressed.

The MDC reassured Ghanaians of its commitment to safeguard the integrity of the medical profession and protect public health, insisting it will not tolerate any attempt to compromise patient safety.

Source: TheDotNews