Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The University of Abuja has beaten the odds and has finally graduated 18 medical students, the first set of medical doctors from the institution.
The Provost, College of Health Sciences, Prof. Kareem Airede, during the induction of the graduands, said the ceremony was a milestone after 12 years of failure with relevant authorities bothering on registration and accreditation.
While stating that out of the 18 graduands, five distinguished themselves in the area of surgery, he said the pioneer medical graduands are at liberty to commence work as clinical officers after 48 hours of their induction.
“After 12 years of failure, now we have graduands. Not that the students have been failing but we had issues with the power house of the country. Now we have accreditation from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
“Let it be known that out of the 18 students, five of them had distinction in surgery. The pioneer products will be able to commence work as clinical officers after 48 hours of induction against the three months often thought of. As you enter the medical profession, you must profess the dictates of the call which is hinged on character, competence and empathy.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Michael Adikwu, counselled the graduands that the 12 years should not be seen as a waste, but as an act of God‎ and encouraged them to count themselves lucky to be alive and celebrating for graduating from the most sort-after course in the world.
He said with the training they have received from the institution, Nigerians leaving for other countries for medical tourism will have a rethink while people from other countries will find Nigeria as hub for medical tourism. Also, he encouraged them to shun everyday vices which are linked to persons who have lost faith in the country.
“I believe that with people like you, who have been well grounded, people from other lands will come to Nigeria for medical tourism. It does not take long to change a system. All it takes is consistency and the belief in God.
“Many believe that Nigeria will crash so they run out of the country. Others believe that Nigeria will not even take off, talk less of crashing, so they just stay still and steal. I want to tell you our dear students that you should not join any of these groups. Those who steal our money waste it on kidney failure in overseas hospitals. Believe in God. You will excel,” he added.
