This news was coined from the guardian 08 December 2022 | 4:02 am
As LASUCOM graduates 28 professional nurses
The Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has advised health professionals against fleeing the country, urging them to join patriotic efforts to address challenges in the sector.
Olatunji-Bello stated this at the induction ceremony of the second set of Nursing Science graduates of Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja.
According to her, though opportunities exist for practitioners in the nation’s health system, they must be “patriotic and professional,” despite the numerous challenges forcing many health professionals to flee the country.
The vice chancellor lamented that while Nigeria keeps producing brilliant health professionals, more of them are relocating abroad causing massive brain drain in the sector.
The vice chancellor, who was represented by the Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof. Raheem Akewusola, implored inductees to display passion, professionalism and patriotism, charging them to step up and ensure that the sector is repositioned for the good of all.
“I can only plead that you be a bit patriotic and professional. Nigeria has always been training medical personnel for other countries and I’m sure more than three quarter of those we are graduating would have offers outside the country. But please, there is no place like home,” she pleaded.
Olatunji-Bello charged the new inductees to practice responsibly as flagbearers and good ambassadors of the college.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, represented by the Director, Medical Administration, Training and Programme, Dr. Olufunmilayo Sokunbi, charged inductees to be compassionate, passionate and innovative.
He urged them to be considerate on needs of the health system and avail the nation of their professional practice.
The Provost, Prof Babatunde Solagberu, said with the strides of the college, by 50 years, it would have had successful products making stride across the world.
Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, said the state government has made provisions for quarterly health hold replacement, where for every doctor leaving the public system, two are replaced.
Represented by the hospital’s Director, Clinical Services and Training/CMAC, Prof. Debo Adekoya, Fabamwo said to further boost capacity, the first set of 16 graduating nursing students were given automatic internship employment, adding that management is working to sustain provision for successive products of the college.
The guest lecturer, Prof. Prisca Adejuwon, said the profession provides the inductees with wide range of opportunities.
In her valedictory speech, the overall best student, Omoiegberale Favour, said they were prepared to impact the society with excellent knowledge acquired during the course of learning.
