..As medical college award 386 fellowships
By Perpetua Egesimba
President of National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMC), Prof. Ademola Abayomi Olaitan has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari for a reconstruction of the Board of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
Olaitan who spoke during the 35th convocation ceremony of NPMC where 386 students were awarded fellowship of the institution stated that the body has operated without a Board since the former Board was dissolved over two years ago.
“We are aware that memberships are almost by organisations’ representation except the post of the Chairman. The reconstruction of the board will allow the Council to perform her statutory functions, which is crucial to the smooth running of medical services.”
He stated that postgraduate medical and dental education in Nigeria is passing through a turbulent period, adding that funding is low while there is frequent work stoppages in various Teaching Hospitals which does not allow for trainees fulfillment of the prescribed minimum period of clinical placements and rotations that qualifies in services and by implication in training.
Olaitan said it is the opinion of the College that high investments in medical education by government will yield high quality of patients care.
“Top among the investments in medical education will be the resuscitation and funding of post Part 1 residents to exposure to recent and improved innovations in healthcare delivery in the developed world. Procurement of modern equipment for diagnosis and treatment will also be a worthwhile venture.”
He advised the students to impact in their communities, country and international environment with their fellowship, adding that they now have the ticket to endless opportunities.
Governor of Lagos, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode who spoke earlier through his Commissioner for Heath, Dr. Jide Idris agreed that, Nigeria’s medical profession indeed is in crisis and the integrity of the profession very low, reiterated that a lot need to be done to move the sector forward.
For his outstanding leadership and immense contribution to the community and national development, there was conferment of Honorary Fellowship to the Obi of Onitsha, His Highness, Alfred Nnaemeka Ugochukwu Achebe, while Distinguished Fellowship was conferred on two past College Registrars, Dr. Bababode James Bojuwoye and Dr. Obot Essien Antia-Obong for significantly improving the standards of training and quality of services in the specialty of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics as well as their contributions to the development of the College at the various periods of their services as College Registrars.
In his convoking lecture titled: Medical Management of Terrorist Bombing of Nigerian Civilians- Lessons to Learn, Dr. Obioha Onuba explained that Nigeria’s major problem is that, there is no specific communication between disaster scene and local hospitals, lack of CCTV cameras in all public places with increased suicide bombers and difficulty of recgnising threats.
He advised all doctors to recognize and meet the needs of blast victims, stressing that specialists must be trained in new skills for extrication, triage and transport of bomb victims, tertiary care centers should be in each state with adequate staff and equipment.
Onuba reiterated that terrorism was not an original Nigerian culture and must not be encouraged.