Ladies and gents. Before you put out a tweet it is imperative that you furnish yourself with information.

Firstly. Who is a medical officer?

A thread! And one to set things straight. https://twitter.com/Zincate_baba/status/1248690179008802817

Quoting the MDCN's guideline on registration as a medical /dental practitioner in Nigeria.

A medical officer is someone who has completed his internship training and is now fully registered as a doctor under the MDCN.

What are the limitations of the medical officer?

Read carefully @Zincate_baba

Quoting the same guideline.

A fully registered practitioner HAS NO LIMITATION IN LAW AS TO THE PROCEDURES HE CAN UNDERTAKE DURING THE COURSE OF PRACTICE.

It is however an ethical imperative for every fully registered practitioner (...)

To recognize, whenever he/she is undertaking the management of a case, any limitations that may arise from his level of knowledge or experience., skill or adequacy of facilities and hence be able to refer the case to a colleague who has the privilege of better knowledge (...)

, greater experience or skill, or better facilities in the particular case.

That being said. A caesarean section(Low risk) is A PRIMARY CARE SURGERY. Experienced medical officers are more than capable of handling them.

The OBGYN come in when the pregnancy is high risk (...)

Or has one complicating factor or the other.

And then it is the ethical imperative of the medical officer to refer such pregnancy to the specialist.

Much like a midwife can take a delivery. But when complicating factors are present, you refer to the doctor.

I hope you now know, the function and the extent to which a medical officer can operate according to the MDCN backed by the NIGERIAN LAW.

More detail on "Guidelines on registration as a medical and dental practitioner in Nigeria, p18, 19".

Thanks.