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By Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has appealed to the federal government to increase the salaries of medical doctors and nurses in the country to prevent them from travelling abroad to practise.
This appeal was made as new medical graduates of the institution were inducted.
Babalola, who said that doctors and nurses leave Nigeria immediately after completing their training, noted that the reason is closely tied to the poor emoluments paid to medical practitioners.
The legal luminary made the appeal during the 7th Induction and Oath Taking Ceremony of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) set at the ABUAD campus on Tuesday.
Babalola said, “The reason why Nigerian doctors and nurses leave this country immediately after completing their training is because the emoluments paid in Naira are much less than what cleaners in hospitals abroad earn. Worse still, doctors in many states and government hospitals have not been paid for many months.
“I appeal to the government to increase the salaries of doctors and ensure prompt payment.”
The Founder congratulated the new inductees, urging them to be industrious and kind to their patients.
“I congratulate the newly qualified doctors. On our part, we have fulfilled our promise of getting you qualified within the specified time. Do not lose hope, Nigeria will be better. Like I told you, you must be industrious. Please, follow the medical rules in the treatment of your patients. Don’t forget my injunction, Industry breeds character, character breeds faith, and faith never fails.”
At the induction ceremony, 23 inductees received multiple distinctions, with Motayo Oluwatosin, the valedictorian, having seven distinctions, while Ojogbane Bamiyo and Orina Benedict earned five distinctions each.
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Performing the induction and oath-taking, the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Prof. Fatima Kyari, hailed Babalola for his significant investment in education and contributions to the education sector, adding that ABUAD is a school that commands respect both locally and internationally.
“I congratulate you all. As you are graduating today, you are graduating with special opportunities because the Chancellor and his able team, the professors, command respect because ABUAD is respected both locally and internationally. There is no doubt that the Founder and the Vice Chancellor are highly skilled, proficient, and versatile. The university environment is very conducive for learning.”
She continued, “This is our country, let us stay and improve it. I am actually optimistic about the transformative and ongoing efforts by the federal government to strengthen our health infrastructure across the country, and we believe in the health sector renewal initiative. I would like you to know that we have a team at the Federal Ministry of Health, and we have the Coordinating Health Minister, Prof. Alli Pate, who is designing and implementing policies and structures that will empower the dignity of the health system and its workforce. At MDCN, we are committed to shaping the healthcare workforce and ecosystem and addressing challenges directly.”
To the parents, guardians, friends, and well-wishers, she said, “Congratulations!”
In her address, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, said the event was historic, noting that the MDCN Registrar, since assuming office, chose to personally preside over the ceremony.
According to Olarinde, the multiple distinctions achieved by the students testify to the excellence the university upholds.
“Today is historic, as for the first time since assuming office, the distinguished Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Prof. Fatima Kyari, has graciously chosen to personally preside over this momentous event. Since launching our medical programme in 2011, we have maintained uninterrupted academic sessions, forging partnerships such as our collaboration with Johns Hopkins Hospital, USA. This provides outstanding 500-level students with the unique opportunity to undertake six-week electives at the best hospital in the world – Johns Hopkins Hospital.”
“Our ultramodern simulation laboratories, the Afe Babalola Multi-System Hospital (AMSH), the versatile faculty and consultants, and the uninterrupted power supply to a fully student-residential university further ensure the quality of our medical education and training.”
“I urge you all to remember the Chancellor’s advice, ‘You must be kind to your patients. You must love them, share in their pains, and provide them comfort. Let them feel that they can still make it. Give them that hope. Your duty extends beyond clinical expertise to providing reassurance and therapeutic comfort.'”
