Hmm!! : Nigerian Doctors decry maltreatment in South Africa

The Nigerian Doctors Forum in South Africa has decried the mistreatment of its doctors by South African organs and individuals who often find it a spot to incite the public against them...

The Secretary General of the Forum, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ugwu said that even those organisations who should know and do have the fact about every Nigerian doctor practicing in South Africa have been making uncomplimentary statements to present the doctors in bad light.

“In many instances some South African institutions have labelled dully qualified Nigeria doctors as burgoos doctors even when they know that they are lying,’’ Dr. Ugwu said during a press briefing at the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg.

Irreparable damagesApart from the fact that some of these doctors were trained in South African medical institutions and certified to practice by the various regulating health bodies, he stated that“these individuals who engage in the practice of wrong labelling have caused the affected doctors irreparable damages.’’

Referring to the case of Dr. Anthony Nwanfor who was tricked by the Immigration Service and then locked up for about two weeks now, Dr. Ugwu explained that some notable South Africans doctors even went as far as saying that South African nurses were better trained than Nigerian doctors.

He said though Dr. Nwanfor has been charged for immigration related issues for which he has been confirmed not to be involved, some elements in the Limpopo Province hired women who were dressed in T-Shirts showing them as members of the women’s wings of the African National congress, to demonstrate against the Nigerian in front of the court where the case was being heard.

In response to the issue, the Nigeria Consular General to South Africa, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke said that she would take the actions necessary to determine the authenticity of Dr. Anthony Nwafor qualifications from the authorities of the University of Limpopo where he was trained.

“It will not be right if South Africa which prides itself as a free democracy with institutions which are also free to discriminate between people with equal academic qualifications awarded by the same institution,’’ Ambassador Ajulu-Okeke added.

The Nigerian Doctors Forum is an organisation of Nigerian Medical Practitioners in South Africa.