This publication was inspired by an article from the National Post...IT’S A LONG READ BUT WORTH YOUR TIME!
It's sort of immigration, but not quite. It’s more like immigration and professional verification TOGETHER.
The problem in the Western world is fragmented jurisdiction between departments, and this problem greatly undermines trust in the system.
When we talk about crypto, finance, and stock market gaming, that's one thing, but when it comes to healthcare, it's something very different. Communication between provinces is, to say it nicely, not great, BUT better than between states in the US. But the "credibility check" between the two countries leaves much to be desired.
When medical ethics ends at the border
Stories of medical errors rarely end where they should – in court or a disciplinary committee. Too often, they simply... move. From one state to another, from one country to another. And a new chapter begins—a clean slate without a word about the past. A recent international investigation by OCCRP and the Investigative Journalism Bureau revealed a disturbing picture: more than 100 doctors, stripped of their licenses or subjected to disciplinary action in one jurisdiction, have quietly regained the right to practice in another. Below are three illustrative stories.
1. Dr. Ken Abrahim – “Relocating” from the US to Canada
In 2018, family physician Ken Shafqat Intikhab Abrahim was charged in Florida with prescribing potentially lethal doses of powerful painkillers such as oxycodone, Xanax, Valium, Percocet, and OxyContin to his patients. The state medical board fined him $35,000 and banned him from prescribing controlled substances for the treatment of chronic pain. Four months later, North Carolina charged him with concealing a Florida disciplinary case during his license renewal. Later, in New York, he voluntarily surrendered his license after authorities learned of his past violations. Yet, a few months later, he successfully obtained a license in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario CPSO (CPSO) learned of his US dealings back in 2018, but it wasn't until 2021 that it responded: a two-month suspension and a medical ethics course. Today, Abrahim works in Niagara Falls, with no restrictions on his practice, despite the current ban in Florida. "Trust is the cornerstone of patient care," the CPSO panel reminded him, "and you have failed to meet this obligation."
2. Dr. Eninnaya Ezema – Sexual Harassment and a New Career in the UK
Psychiatrist Eninnaya Ezema, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, worked in Ireland before moving to Canada, where in 2014 a nurse accused him of sexual harassment-he licked her lips. The investigation did not lead to a trial, but the Nova Scotia College of Physicians conducted its own investigation. It uncovered several instances of inappropriate behavior, from sexually suggestive comments to invitations "for coffee while the wife is out." In 2017, the commission found him guilty of harassment and unprofessional conduct, imposing a four-month suspension and a $75,000 fine. Two years later, Dr. Ezema quietly received his UK license. The General Medical Council (GMC) website makes no mention of his disciplinary history. He later worked at a psychiatric center in Northern Ireland. In 2025, he was involved in a traffic accident that seriously injured a person. According to media reports, he didn't understand why he was arrested in court, as "the victim didn't die." Canadian regulators commented succinctly: "Information about his case is publicly available—anyone can find it on Google."
3. Dr. Ali Kadili - "Alternative Oncology" and a New Life in the USA
Surgeon Ali Kadili was punished in Saskatchewan in 2022 for promoting false oncology methods and for owning a private clinic that promised "cure for cancer and autism" using light therapy, infrared saunas, and oxygen capsules. The website of his clinic, Clear Health Inn, advertised the "Premier Cancer Care Program" and "Canada's most unique place of healing."
One pancreatic cancer patient paid $13,650 before realizing the treatment had no medical basis.
Kadili received received a four-month suspension and an $85,000 fine, but by that time he was already living in the United States. He was given a hearing in Ohio, but withdrew his application and received a license in West Virginia, where he now practices peacefully. "If the board had considered me dangerous to patients, they would not have issued a license," Kadili told reporters:
"The conclusion is clear: a drowning man must save himself. Checking the licenses and performing basic screening of any professional you trust in any field is MANDATORY. No one else will do it for you. Whether it's a doctor, a realtor, an attorney, a notary, a nanny for your child, and so on – BE VIGILANT!"
These three stories are just the tip of the iceberg. Some doctors are fleeing criminal charges, others – professional disgrace. And all this is made possible by the imperfections of international databases and a naive belief in the "honor system," where doctors are expected to honestly disclose their past.
The result: license revocation in one country, a "fresh start" in another. And patients are protected nowhere.
But ESPECIALLY in Canada, there are expedited licenses for American doctors! - the so-called "expedited licensure pathway." If you are a physician trained in the US and certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), you can obtain a full independent license without additional examinations immediately in the following provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Yes, that's right – "immediately." So, a doctor fired or disciplined in the US could theoretically come to Canada and begin practicing literally "the next day."
So SOMETIMES, behind the fine words about integrating the workforce and filling the doctor shortage, there's a real risk to patients if this is done without basic checks. And if Canada is truly committed to strengthening its healthcare system, it should start not with the number of licenses, but with the quality of those who obtain them.
Oleksandra Melnykova, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Consultant.
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