Surgeon to FG: Set up orthopaedic hospitals,

From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja

The Provost, College of Health Sciences, Federal University, Lokoja, Prof Michael Ozovehe Ogirima has called on the federal government to urgently establish more orthopaedic hospitals, trauma centres and rehabilitation services in all the six geopolitical zones.

Ogirima, a renowned orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, said the facilities should be strategically established along busy routes for accident victims who may fall into coma and to cater for people with fractured bones so as to reduce avoidable deaths and permanent deformities as a result of accidents on the highway. He gave this advice while delivering a lecture at the 32nd Inaugural Lectures of the federal university with the theme, ‘Improvising to Greatness: The Surgeon’s Sojourn”

He said the absence of a well-organised and coordinated emergency medical system with emergency medical services with 24 hour ambulance services was responsible for the pre-hospital deaths on our roads.

While acknowledging that brain drain is a phenomenal problem for Nigeria, he said medical doctors, nurses and medical academics are leaving the country in droves, including old and experienced hands, coupled with medical tourism which he said was costing the country a huge amount of money.

Said he: “The teaching hospitals are not adequately funded or supervised. There is relative neglect because they belong to the Ministry of Health while the University is under the NUC/Ministry of Education. We, the clinical staff, are caught in between two poorly funded supervisors – a double jeopardy.

“The academic staff is not well motivated for serious research and training activities.

Inadequate ambient environment to conduct a meaningful research activity is hampered by ignorance, poor communication and lack of more preservative tools in the research laboratories to carry out some experimental inquest on human subjects.

“To curb these anomalies, I therefore advocate more investments by individuals and corporate organisations in medical education and researches. Targeted grants to some projects in the university should be encouraged. Grants like fellowships, hands-on workshops and clinical attachments can be institutionalized by philanthropists and private firms through endowment of academic chairs.”