Review policy on importation, university don advises FG

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

A Professor of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Prof Roseangela Nwuba, has advised the federal government to review the policy on importation to accommodate the free importation of scientific equipment.

She posited that the over-dependence of the nation’s health and medical education on foreign companies for the supply of needed tools is not only disturbing but remains a major constraint to the practice of medicine in Nigeria.

Prof Nwuba stated this on Monday in her lecture titled, “Molecular Biology Resource-Constrained Settings in the 21st Century: Feasibilities, Realities, and Impacts,” at the maiden edition of Professor Taiwo Adewole’s memorial lecture organized by the Osun State University held at the university auditorium in Osogbo, Osun State.

According to her, there is an urgent need for governments to champion the provision of adequate tools for research and innovative solution to African challenges, particularly in molecular biology as demonstrated during the outbreak of the global pandemic.

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Prof Nwuba who is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Medical Science, Ondo State, also solicited urgent political will to end the ongoing strike embark upon by the universities.

She urged governments to invest more in science-oriented causes from primary school up to university to address the storage of skilled medical practitioners.

“The government should be serious about financing education and research because the nation is built based on the educational know-how of a nation. So if no one is producing or bringing in ideas, the nation will just go down the drain,” she posited.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Clement Adebooye, said insufficient funding for the university shouldn’t be an excuse for academicians and researchers to intensify their efforts to win more grants for the proliferation of knowledge.

He promised that the university would not relent in contributing to the global growth of health and medical education.