• VC lauds council for increased admission quota
By Gabriel Dike
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted 60 medical doctors from the Benjamin Carson Senior College of Health and Medical Sciences of Babcock University (BU), Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.
The admission of the 60 doctors into the medical profession was conducted by the registrar of MDCN, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, at the seventh induction, which attracted BU management staff, representative of the Chief of Air Staff, traditional ruler, chief medical director (CMD) of Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Barnabas Mandong, deputy vice-chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, and parents of the new doctors.
In his address, the vice-chancellor of BU, Prof. Ademola Tayo, said the freshly baked and minted 60 trained medical doctors would join the medical workers as medical missionaries rather than mercenaries.
He admonished the doctors not to allow the love of money to becloud their judgment, as God is the only one to reward acceptable effort.
The VC reminded them that their professional calling was more than challenging at the time they are being inducted into the practice, stating, “the emerging diseases globally have placed a greater burden on medical and allied health practitioners.”
Prof. Tayo challenged the medical doctors not to rest on their laurels but to continue to strive towards even loftier goals, especially in the area of telemedicine, where the world is witnessing an unprecedented knowledge revolution.
He implored the inductees to build their future success on a foundation of integrity, good character, honesty, hard work, a compassionate lifestyle and honest dealings with the people they meet and those who come under their care.
The VC commended the MDCN for increasing the admission quota of BU from 50 to 150.
Earlier, the provost of BCCHMS, Prof. John Sotuna, revealed that the college has produced 318 medical doctors since its inception.
According to him, 12 of the medical doctors graduated with distinctions, Belusochi Joe-Ikechebelu topped the set with eight distinctions, Naomi Ejoor (six), Abisola Ojuola (five), Akande Bolutife, Olaitan Adeyoola and Chinomso Elekwachi (three each), Fola-Emmanuel Oyadeyi and Patrick Okpanachi (two each), while Olanrewaju Solanke, Boluwatife Johnson, Kikunlore Odusanya and Somtochi Victor-Obi recorded one each.
On community service, Sotuna said in the last six years BCCHMS has treated 112,666 persons, on operated 1,621, and provided 43,734 eye care and 23, 759 glasses free of charge nationwide.
The provost said he expects Alumni, parents, and Nigerians to join BCCHMS in making the country a center for medical tourism.
Speaking on behalf of the parents, Prof. Ikechebelu, said his daughter was initially offered admission by UNIZIK but she settled for BU and lauded their lecturers for producing the medical doctors.
He commended parents for picking up the bills in the last six years and also acknowledged that BU is doing a great job of churning out quality graduates for the nation.
Prof. Ikechebelu endowed a #100,000 prize for the next 10 years to the best graduating medical doctor in BCCHMS.
Registrar of MDCN, Dr. Sanusi, who administered the oath to the medical doctors, read the riot act to them to obey the rules and regulations guiding the profession.
Sanusi explained that the induction marks the beginning of their medical career and assured that MDCN would ensure standards are not lowered.
He cautioned them that by the rules of MDCN, they couldn’t be members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), noting, if they join them and they call for a strike, you join; you will have themselves to blame. “