COVID-19: Nigeria’s health personnel, facilities overstretch — UNILORIN V-C

Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin says that the country’s healthcare system is facing serious challenges at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abdulkareem made this known on Monday, while speaking at the 36th Professional Initiation for Batch B 2020 medical graduands of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ilorin.

“Our nation’s health care delivery was seriously challenged with the emergence of the COVID 19 pandemic.

“The global health crisis overstretched our health care facilities and exposed the weak link in our health care delivery system.

“There were no standard intensive care units and even the few available were overwhelmed and in the midst of this, our people were apprehensive and fearful,” he said.

Abdulkareem, however, commended the government’s “frantic effort to bridge this gap with the provision of Molecular Laboratories and oxygen plants across the country.”

He further noted that at the height of the pandemic, the number of front-liners was not adequate to cope with the number of patients, adding that the induction of the 28 doctors would change that dismal picture.

The Vice chancellor noted that their induction would increase the manpower resources in the health sector of the nation if the inductees stayed behind to practise in Nigeria.

The vice-Chancellor therefore, urged the newly inducted medical doctors to avail Nigerians of their services for a while even if they had the intention of seeking greener pastures outside the shores of the country.

He however, pointed out that they had the choice, noting that many members of the university’s medical alumni were front liners in the United States of America, United Kingdom, other parts of Europe, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

He urged them to be good ambassadors of the country that had invested so much in them anywhere they found themselves.

Also speaking, Prof. Olanrewaju Adedoyin, the Provost of the College of Health Sciences in the institution urged the inductees to practise with dignity, integrity and honour, adding that a good name was better than silver and gold.

He urged the graduands not to play God by keeping patients waiting unnecessarily but rather encourage their patients even when the situation looked gloomy and bleak.

Adedoyin also commended the university management for providing infrastructure that would enhance the training of medical practitioners.

He also commended the vice chancellor for the construction of the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory and provision of the Institute of Medical Research and Training (IMRAT) among others.

“You should have good work ethics of punctuality and promptness in attending to the sick.

“Do not keep patients waiting unnecessarily. They also have feelings and other things to do with their time. Let your attitude to them be the first therapy they would obtain.

“Avoid shouting, bullying or insulting patients, no matter the provocation. Train yourself to be patient, warm and gentle with them,” he added.