By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
A medical consultant and professor of Paediatrics Neurology with the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, Professor Ahmed Hamidu, has decried the health system in Nigeria, describing it as relatively weak.
He said this development has led to some of the avoidable challenges confronting the nation's health care delivery system.
Professor Hamidu who is a former Provost in the University, spoke on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at the College of Heath Sciences Maiden Scientific Conference and Alumni Annual General Meeting. He further warned that building health facilities without adequate manpower is a waste of resources.
Delivering his keynote lecture on the theme," Challenges of Health Sciences Education In The 21st Century", with a sub theme: "The Role of Alumni In The Development Of Institutions', Prof. Hamidu said, "building expensive health facilities and procurement of medical consumables without manpower to take charge is a waste of national resources".
Speaking on the factors responsible for the country's weak heath institution, Prof Hamidu disclosed that it stems from the areas of education, funding, employment, and deployment of health workforce. He further advised that every member of the health workforce matters and should be treated with respect.
While noting that Nigeria's rising population has increased the country's vulnerability to climate change, Prof. Hamidu appealed to legislators in the nation's parliaments at all levels of government, to urgently make policies that will encourage medical workforce to stay back and serve in Nigeria rather than moving abroad.
Prof. Hamidu noted that, "Supremacy battle between medical doctors and health workers is a serious concern for attaining medical excellence in Nigeria'. He however appealed to all alumni members to be good ambassadors of their institutions and contribute their quota to it's growth.
Earlier in his opening address, the host and Provost, College of Health Sciences (UDUTH) Sokoto, Processor Sule Ahmed Saidu, had disclosed that UDUTH College of Health Sciences comprises of 5 Faculties, 2 advanced research centers that are integral to the college, and 34 departments, 8 undergraduate and several post graduate degree programmes.
While noting that the hallmark of their relationship in UDUTH CHS is the industrial harmony, mutual respect and dignity of labour despite professional diversity, Prof Saidu said products of the school compete favourably with other famous and reputable medical schools the world over both in character, learning, professional competence and compliance with ethics.
Giving his opening remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Dr Nasiru Sani Gwarzo who is the Parmanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said government alone cannot fund almost every project, hence the need to look into the alumni strategy of getting things done.
On his part, the Guest of Honour, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, who is the House of Representative Member, Yauri, Shanga, Ngaski Federal constituency, Kebbi State, in a goodwill message, said the health of Nigerians remain his priority as a Federal lawmaker.
Sununu further appealed to the electorates to encourage progressive minded people to be at the National Assembly.
Addressing the conference, the Chief Host and Vice Chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDUS) Sokoto, Professor Lawal Bilbis, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Yusuf Saidu, said, "'Our approach to practicing medicals must continually change and evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century"'.
While thanking the dignitaries in an emotion laden goodwill message, the Chief Medical Director of UDUTH, Professor Anas Ahmad Sabir, decried that doctors are massively leaving Nigeria.
"This is a very big danger for our hospitals. We cannot sustain medical expertise without manpower. Virtually, everybody in our nuclear medicine have gone abroad", he noted with disappointment. NNL.
