The President, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Ijanikin, Lagos State, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade has disclosed that perennial problem of inadequate funding of the college continues to impede full attainment of college mandate and infrastructural growth.

 

He said this during the college 33rd convocation ceremony held last week.

 

According to him, the college is currently feeling the impact of the prevailing national economic downturn because since the last quarter of 2014, zero capital allocation has grounded to complete halt the only ongoing physical construction on the college premises.

 

“Even the one major facility which the college believes will enhance its mandate of producing Medical and Dental Specialists of the highest quality, competence and dedication in line with global best practices in postgraduate medical education does not appear to receive adequate support.

 

He also disclosed that the proposed Clinical Skills and Simulation Laboratory construction for which the college sought Tertiary Education Trust Fund intervention has not been constructed.

 

 

“This Performance and Cognition Skills Examination (PACSE) Centre in intended for use to teach different Clinical Skills and Competencies but so far our efforts have not yielded any fruit but I need not remind us that those will train on these facilities may eventually turn out to be the saviours we need on our sick beds, Arogundade explained.

 

Congratulating the new graduates, the president said specialist has no room for strike actions, he said they should always bear it in mind that all forms of work stoppages in hospitals occasioned by strikes have direct impact on the survival of patients and on the quality of training programmes of the college.

 

Delivering the convocation lecture, titled, “Leadership, the Health Sector and the Winds of Change Blowing Across Nigeria,” Retired Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Prof. Emmanuel Otolorin reiterate the need to recover the lost glory of the medical profession by leading by example and by inspiring and motivating those that “we lead to willingly follow us because of our shared vision and common goal.”

 

“Let us bury mediocrity in the health sector and strive for excellence at all times, that is what our country and our people deserve because the era of a one man private practice is gone, it merely breeds mediocrity and increases the risk of preventable harm to patients and clients.”

 

By: Saidat Alausa

National Mirror