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New college president pledges improved medical graduate trainee programme

By Ujunwa Atueyi and Ruth Adekunle
10 March 2016   |   12:43 am
The newly inaugurated President of National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Dr. Ademola Abayomi Olaitan, has assured that his administration...
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire (left); the new College President, Prof Ademola Abayomi Olaitan; immediate past College President, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade, and College Vice-President, Prof. Benedict da Lilly-Tariah, during the ceremony

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire (left); the new College President, Prof Ademola Abayomi Olaitan; immediate past College President, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade, and College Vice-President, Prof. Benedict da Lilly-Tariah, during the ceremony

*College saves Nigeria over $1 billion

The newly inaugurated President of National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Dr. Ademola Abayomi Olaitan, has assured that his administration would see to the advancement and development of competent and highly skilled Fellows. He made this assertion during his investiture as the 19th president of the college in Lagos. Olaitan further expressed his desire to make the college a renowned international medical graduate training centre with cutting edge technology and a state-of-the-art training facility that would support the evolving needs of specialist doctors and dentists at all levels of their career.

He added that consolidation and transformation would form the major vehicle with which he would drive and achieve his mandate.

He informed the large audience that gathered to celebrate his inauguration that the dream of the founding fathers of the 42 years old institution, which among others, was to reduce the huge sums of money being expended on medical tourism and overseas training has stood the test of time. Olaitan further stated that the successful training and graduation through the examination of almost 5,000 Fellows by the college since inception have saved the country a lot of funds, and urged government to invest a logical percentage of the saved fund to the college for improvement of training infrastructure, educational facilities and its overall development.

He said, “This college, typical of mandate and goals of medical institutions, has saved this country in more ways than money, and has brought joy to families. Over $1 billion in foreign exchange has been saved the nation by the college.

“The large proportion of Nigerians through services rendered by the College Associate Fellows while in training were also saved from unnecessary deaths and the agonies of morbidities. Government and employers were saved losses of man-hour because of easy access to specialist medical care provided by our Associate Fellows while in training”.

Interestingly, he continued, “We have not been able to take due advantage of the huge amount, in cash and in kind, saved government by asking that a reasonable percentage of the cash savings be made available for infrastructural development of the college.”

He added that attempts would be made by his administration to seek ways and avenues to adequately inform and genuinely educate government on the need do so.

On his consolidation plan, he said it would be targeted at improving the quality and standards of all aspects of pre-examination evaluation and assessment, improvement in conduct and procedures of the fellowship examination, consolidation and determination of the impact of research methodology and advanced management courses and workshops.

According to him, “There would also be enhancement of cooperation and collaboration in revision courses, in accreditation team constitution and visitation as well as in reciprocity of qualification with regional and global institutions and organisations with objectives and goals similar to ours.

“Transformation of personnel, infrastructure facilities and general outlook of the college will be pursued with vigour. Staff training and re-training, sponsorship to workshops and seminars and attendance at professional conferences are planned programmes that will keep staff in touch with the advances in the areas where they provide services in the college”.

He further added that efforts would be made to take the on-going digitisation and computerisation in the college further, and noted, “All processes, procedures and transactions of the college will be computerised. Strict monitoring of personnel and facilities employed in achieving accreditations by teaching hospitals and training institutions will be undertaken periodically to ensure no fall in standard occurs”.

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