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The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called for stronger ethical standards, improved knowledge of legal responsibilities and effective risk management as rising medical litigation and the migration of skilled healthcare professionals continue to challenge Nigeria’s health sector. The association also urged medical practitioners to strengthen documentation, informed consent, communication and professional conduct to reduce exposure to legal and disciplinary actions. The call was made at the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of MDCAN, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada Branch, themed, “Medical Practice in Nigeria: Ethical Standards, Legal Responsibilities and Risk Management.” Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Registrar and Director of Professional Discipline at the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr Enejo Abdu, said most disciplinary cases brought before the Council were not caused by inadequate clinical knowledge but by lapses in ethics, communication, documentation, consent, supervision and patient management. “Every week, petitions arrive at the Council against practitioners, including consultants of considerable seniority and distinction. The overwhelming majority do not arise from a want of clinical knowledge. They arise from lapses in communication, in documentation, in consent, in supervision, and in the ordinary courtesies of the doctor-patient relationship,” Abdu said. He identified informed consent, professional conduct, proper supervision of trainees, accurate certification and documentation as some of the ethical obligations frequently breached by practitioners. Abdu said patients of full age and sound mind had the right to accept or refuse treatment, stressing that consent must be informed, voluntary and specific to the procedure being undertaken. “A patient of full age and sound mind has the right to accept or refuse treatment. Consent must be informed, voluntary and specific to the procedure contemplated. A signature procured at the theatre door from a premedicated patient is not consent; it is paperwork,” he said. He also warned doctors against disparaging colleagues before patients, saying such conduct could result in complaints and disciplinary petitions. “Criticism of a colleague’s care belongs in clinical audit and morbidity review, not at the bedside,” Abdu said. On legal responsibilities, he explained that practitioners could face disciplinary, civil, criminal and employment-related consequences from a single clinical incident. “One clinical event can, and sometimes does, travel through all four,” he said. Abdu also drew attention to provisions of the National Health Act 2014 covering patients’ rights to information, confidentiality and emergency treatment, as well as emerging responsibilities relating to data protection and telemedicine. He warned that the use of telemedicine did not reduce the standard of care expected from practitioners. “The standard of care does not diminish because the consultation occurred on a screen; if anything, the duty to recognise the limits of remote assessment is heightened,” he said. He urged consultants to adopt practical risk management measures, including comprehensive documentation, effective communication, proper supervision, timely referrals, professional indemnity coverage and active participation in clinical governance. “Document as if the court is reading over your shoulder. The clinical record is your first witness and, years later, may be your only one,” Abdu said. He described ethics, law and risk management as interconnected pillars of modern medical practice, saying, “Ethics is the compass, law is the boundary, and risk management is the seamanship that keeps the vessel off the rocks.” Abdu called on MDCAN members to institutionalise medico-legal audits, strengthen mentorship on professionalism and engage more actively with regulatory processes to improve standards across the profession. Earlier, Chairman of MDCAN UATH Branch, Dr. Chiedozie Achonwa, said the conference theme was informed by the increasing incidence of medical litigation and the growing complexity of healthcare delivery. He said changing patient expectations, technological advancement and increased public scrutiny through social media had made it imperative for healthcare professionals to continually update their knowledge of ethical and legal obligations. “The expectations of patients have changed, technology has transformed healthcare delivery, social media has amplified public scrutiny, and litigation against healthcare professionals is becoming increasingly common,” Achonwa said. He also expressed concern over the migration of skilled healthcare professionals, noting that the resulting workforce shortages and burnout were placing additional pressure on those remaining in the system. “The persistent migration of highly skilled medical professionals has created significant workforce shortages, leaving those who remain to shoulder heavier clinical and administrative responsibilities,” he said. Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Vice Chairman of MDCAN UATH Branch, Dr. Bilal Sulaiman, said the conference provided an opportunity for medical consultants to examine the changing realities of healthcare delivery in Nigeria. Sulaiman stressed that practitioners must combine clinical excellence with high ethical standards, knowledge of their legal responsibilities and effective risk management. “As healthcare delivery becomes increasingly complex, medical and dental consultants must not only provide excellent clinical care but also uphold the highest ethical standards, understand their legal responsibilities and adopt effective risk management strategies,” he said. He added that the conference would promote scientific discussions, professional networking and exchange of ideas aimed at improving healthcare practice. Chairman of the occasion and immediate past Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Jafaru Alunua Momoh, called for increased investment in teaching hospitals and expanded capacity for healthcare workforce training. Momoh said inadequate capacity and poor participation by some institutions in workforce placement programmes had contributed to challenges in deploying healthcare professionals across the country. “I believe that the powers that be look into the issue of expanding the scope of health management in our teaching hospitals by providing more resources to the hospitals,” he said. He also emphasised the importance of ethics, confidentiality and proper documentation, warning that poor record management could expose healthcare workers and institutions to legal and professional risks. “Our ethics and our ethical behaviour, or lack of it, can be a major issue,” Momoh said. In his goodwill message, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, described the conference theme as timely, given the evolving healthcare environment and increasing public awareness of patients’ rights. Fawehinmi said emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and social media had introduced new ethical and legal considerations for medical practitioners. “The theme for this year’s Scientific Conference, Medical Practice in Nigeria: Ethical Standards, Legal Responsibilities and Risk Management is very apt,” he said. He called for continuous professional education to help healthcare workers navigate emerging challenges while maintaining quality patient care. The vice-chancellor also highlighted the collaboration between the University of Abuja and UATH, expressing confidence that the partnership would continue to strengthen medical education and healthcare delivery. “That synergy will help to drive a very good education in this region,” he said. Speaking virtually as Special Guest of Honour, fertility specialist and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr. Ibrahim Wada, OON, described MDCAN as a major force in advancing medical education, research and clinical services in Nigeria. “MDCAN, to the best of my assessment, is a force for progress of medical education, clinical services and research in medicine in our dear country,” Wada said. He urged the association to take a leading role in addressing the country’s brain drain by creating opportunities for Nigerian medical specialists in the diaspora to contribute to healthcare delivery, training and research. “No group stronger than MDCAN can welcome back those brains in partnership,” he said. Wada further advocated stronger international collaboration and exchange programmes to expose Nigerian healthcare professionals to global best practices while encouraging specialists in the diaspora to contribute to the country’s health sector. “We must internationalise medical care in our country,” he said. He expressed confidence that Nigeria had the capacity to excel in advanced medical fields if the right investments and collaborations were put in place. “If anyone in the world can do anything, whether it’s IVF, whether it’s regenerative medicine, whether it’s robotic surgery, Nigeria can be the best,” Wada said. The conference brought together medical consultants, healthcare administrators, academics, regulators and other stakeholders to examine ethical standards, legal responsibilities and risk management strategies aimed at improving patient safety and strengthening healthcare delivery in Nigeria.