FEATURED NEWS
MDCN Inducts More Newly-Qualified Doctors, Surgeon In UniPort
- Details
- Published: 11 June 2021
By Humphrey Ogu
The manpower needs of the Nigerian healthcare sector received a major boost from the University of Port Harcourt at the 46th Induction Ceremony. This follows the induction of 63 newly-qualified Medical Doctors and 11 Dental Surgeons by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) at Ebitimi Banigo Auditorium on Wednesday, May 10, 2021.
“The University was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria with the core mandate of training high level manpower to drive the national economy through Teaching, Research, Innovation and
In his remarks, Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Stephen Okodudu, congratulated the Inductees for successful completion of their programmes, and their parents for standing by their children and wards. “I cannot quantify how elated I am, standing to address you that this joyous occasion of the 46 Induction ceremony heralding the formal putting forth of the University's newly-qualified Medical Doctors and Dental Surgeons to the world,” the Acting Vice Chancellor said.
Community Service. The harvest of graduands in all disciplines of learning such as we are witnessing this today is in part a fulfilment of that inviolable charge,” he noted. Earlier in his welcome address, Provost, College of Health Sciences, Professor Iyeopu Siminialayi, noted that 63 medical doctors and 11 dental surgeons being inducted faced a lot of challenges. “They began in the year of the Ebola endemic and are ending in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. They were asked to go home about three months to their final professional examinations and that forced break, compounded by ASUU strike lasted about a year,” he said, adding that the students had to spend eight instead of the statutory six years on the programme. In his speech, the Registrar and Secretary of the MDCN, Dr Tajudeen Sanusi, who also conducted the Swearingin/Administering of the Physician's Pledge, congratulated the newly-qualified medical doctors and dental surgeon on their success in the professional examinations. He called on the Management of the University to provide more phantom heads and dental chairs as condition to increase admission quota in Dentistry. “Today is a special day in the sense that a group of young men and women are being called to service and it is service to humanity. There is no part of the world you won't see Nigerian trained medical doctors. As you leave this country, you will first of all fly the flag of Nigeria,” he charged the Inductees.
In his admonition, Chief Medical Director, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Professor Henry Ugboma, who was represented by the CMAC, Professor Lucky Onotai, charged the young medical doctors and dentists to be the light of their profession, imbibe the team spirit and work as team with allied medical practitioners as they go into professional practice. Also speaking, Chairman, Rivers State Branch of Nigerian Medical Association, Professor Chizindu Alikor, who welcomed the Inductees into the profession, also presented awards to the overall Best Graduating Student in Medicine instituted by NMA in the memory of late Professor Rolling Jamabo. Daisy Amaechi emerged the overall BGS in Medicine, while Christiana Eli clinched the same position in Dental Surgery, thus being the first to get the newly-instituted Professor Ambrose Obiechina Prize in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
On his part, Medical Elder for the Day, Professor Celestine John, advised the newly-qualified medical doctors and dental surgeons to imbibe the culture of punctuality and desist from giving appointment they can't keep. “In June 1970, when I qualified as medical doctor, we were about 20. Between then and now, a lot of things have changed, a lot have remained the same. As you begin your professional practice remember to be punctual. I wish God's guidance, luck and remember that you owe this university a lot. Go and be the vaccine of the world tomorrow,” the Medical Elder said. Meanwhile, one-time Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, Dr Emi Membere-Otaji, who also presented award to the BGS in Internal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology in his name, has indicated interest in instituting a chair in Medical Entrepreneurship in the University.
