Disciplinary Tribunal

Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal:

(i) The Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal has the status of a high court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and practitioners who appear before it whether as complainants, defendants or witnesses, whether or not they are also represented by a lawyer, must conduct themselves as they would before a high court. This code of behavior is equally applicable to counsel who appear at the Tribunal.

(ii) Practitioners who make public comments on cases pending before the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigating Panel or Disciplinary Tribunal, or cases where the time for appeal has not expired, shall be guilty of contempt of the Panel or the Tribunal, as the case may be, and shall be liable to appropriate disciplinary action.

Any doctor who may wish to contest the judgment can only go to the Appeal Court

Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigating Panel:

(i) The Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigating Panel is a court of first hearing in matters of alleged ethical misconduct that are properly brought before the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

(ii) A doctor should be punctual whenever summoned to appear before the Panel in the course of the investigation of any case which involves him., whether as the defendant doctor or as a witness. He should give prompt notice to the appropriate official of the Council with regard to any circumstances that would cause his/her tardiness or absence.

(iii) A registered practitioner who has been notified by the Panel of the necessity for his/her appearance before the Panel, for whatever reason, shall attend relevant hearings, as and when invited. In case the Practitioner would travel out of Nigeria whilst the matter is yet to be disposed of, he is required to duly notify the appropriate official of the Council and obtain the necessary clearance before traveling out.

(iv) A doctor or dental surgeon, as the case may be, who has been duly notified that he has to appear before the Panel in an ongoing investigation but who fails to appear, whenever due without an acceptable excuse shall be liable to disciplinary action. A practitioner’s duty to appear before the Panel is continuous from the time of first notification until the matter under investigation is finally disposed of.

(v) Any attempt to curry favor with Panel members through flattery or pretended solicitude for personal comfort would constitute an unprofessional conduct.

(vi) A doctor should rise when addressing, or being addressed by, the Panel unless the Chairman of the Panel directs otherwise.

(vii) Doctors who fail to respond to the request of the panel in relation to matters under investigation may be deemed to be contemptuous of the panel and shall be appropriately disciplined.

(viii) The Council on the recommendation of either of its disciplinary organs, communicate to a foreign Medical Council when appropriate, relevant information on a registered practitioner, when it is obvious that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria is being ignored, on a matter for disciplinary process, by a registered practitioner who has been duly notified but who decides to practice Medicine in another country. The purpose of such communication will be to compel the’ registered practitioner to assist the disciplinary organs in treating the matter before them, in which he is involved.

Other Committees include:

	Medical Education Committee
	Finance and General Purposes Committee.
	Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee.
	Registration Committee.
	Alternative Medicine Committee.
	Junior Staff Appointment, Promotion & Disciplinary Committee.