Spread the wordThe House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Health Institutions to immediately investigate the alleged discrimination against graduate doctors of Igbo extraction by Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Asanye Ikpeme. The House also demanded the immediate suspension of the CMD by the Federal Ministry of Health, to ensure he does not interfere with the investigation to be conducted by the House. The resolution followed a notion on Thursday by the South East Caucus of the House, led by Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo, describing the development as an “ugly discriminatory practice in the recruitment of Resident Doctors by the CMD.”Presenting the matter, the lawmaker noted “the recent disturbing reports in the print, electronic and social media that the Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital Professor Ikpeme A. Ikpeme, rejected a list of 17 newly graduated medical doctors posted to the institution by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (NMDC)- the regulatory body of Teaching Hospitals), for a one year mandatory housemanship. “The Chief Medical Director of the UCTH, Prof Ikpeme, rejected the entire list of 17 names on the ground that 15 of the 17 names are of Igbo extraction.”He noted further that inspite of entreaties from the National Association of Resident Doctors of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital; and the Nigerian Medical Association Cross River Branch, “Prof Ikpeme has stood his ground to reject the list on account of the high number of Igbo applicants therein.”Expressing serious concerns, he said “Prof Ikpeme’s conduct is further compounding the challenges confronting our health care system, and the efforts of the current administration, being that Nigeria’s fragile health care system is facing a critical manpower deficit, as the number of licensed doctors has dropped to about 40,000, far below the estimated 300,000 needed to adequately serve Nigeria’s health care needs,” adding that the action breached the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.