The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, received the Registrar/CEO of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Prof Fatima Kyari, and her team on a working visit to the Commission.
Prof Kyari commended Dr Olatunji for his efforts in promoting the data protection ecosystem in Nigeria. She noted that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) maintains the register of medical practitioners in the country, as well as health records of Nigerians. Acknowledging the sensitivity of the data collected and stored by the MDCN, she emphasised that any compromise could pose national security risks. She explained that their visit to the Commission was to seek guidance on policy development to ensure alignment with global best practices in data protection and privacy.
Prof Kyari specifically requested NDPC’s input on MDCN’s digital health guidelines, policy development, government framework and capacity building for the Council’s personnel. She affirmed her commitment to positioning the MDCN as an institution renowned for the secure, lawful, and ethical handling of sensitive information.
In his response, Dr Olatunji commended the Registrar for leading her team to the Commission. He agreed with her on the sensitivity of the data handled by MDCN and highlighted the consequences of not safeguarding the sensitive data they process—which may include wrong diagnoses, stigmatisation, and even death in extreme cases. He expressed NDPC’s readiness to work with the MDCN in order to embed data protection and privacy as a culture in the health sector.
A working group was formed to advance the relationship between the NDPC and MDCN, which will include the drafting and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.
