Jalingo — Three out of nine Egyptian medical doctors recruitedby Taraba State government for the state Specialist Hospital, who sat for the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council (NMDC) assessment failed the test.

The assessment is to enable them obtain licence to practice in the country.

Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Mr David Tikon, said 21 medical doctors recruited by the state government from Egypt were presented to the Council.

One of them was registered directly, for meeting the requirement, while six others were not qualified to take the test.

Tikon said five out of the 14 who accepted to write the test later withdrew while in Benin.

He said the state government spent N42.6 million on recruitment and airfare of the expatriate doctors, and another N30.3 million on the induction course and assessmenttest at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).