… As VC Affirms Nigeria’s Healthcare Challenges Are Surmountable
By Edward Oseghe
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) on Thursday inducted 48 newly qualified medical doctors of the 2024/2025 session of Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO), Edo State, into the medical profession.
The 20th oath-taking ceremony of the Adikaesieme Class was administered by the MDCN Registrar, Prof. Fatima Kyari, who was represented by the Deputy Registrar, Dr. Enejo Abdu. Dr. Kyari charged the inductees to uphold their Hippocratic Oath, stressing professionalism, ethics, and dedication in the discharge of their duties.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, commended the Esama of Benin Kingdom and Founder/Chancellor of IUO, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, for what he described as his “God-given vision” in pioneering Nigeria’s first private university. He noted that the induction marked both a personal triumph for the graduates and a national responsibility.
“The theme of this 20th induction, ‘As you take your first step: Heeding the call to salvage Nigeria’s healthcare system’, is a deliberate, urgent, and emotional charge placed upon your shoulders. We have not trained you for despair; we have trained you for leadership,” Ezemonye told the new doctors.
He warned against the rising “Japa” syndrome, urging the graduates to resist the lure of relocating abroad permanently.
According to him, Nigeria’s transformation depends on those willing to stay and rebuild its healthcare system.
Acknowledging challenges such as brain drain, underfunded infrastructure, inequitable access to care, and the burden of preventable diseases, the VC expressed optimism that these obstacles are surmountable.
“Our healthcare system stands at a critical crossroads. But we have equipped you not only with medical knowledge but also with the innovation and resilience to be catalysts of change,” he said.
Delivering the induction lecture, Brig-Gen. Paulina Aburime, Medical Director of Military Hospital, Benin City, decried Nigeria’s poor health indices, citing maternal mortality at 840 per 100,000 live births and under-five mortality at 104 per 1,000.
“These are not just numbers. Behind every statistic is a family, a story of grief. These stories should move us to action,” she stressed, reminding the graduates that medicine is a covenant of service, not a business.
She urged the doctors to embrace innovation and offer practical solutions such as solar-powered rural clinics and affordable life-saving interventions.
“The Hippocratic Oath you take today is not a ceremonial recitation but a lifelong compass. Beyond curing, you are called to care, to comfort, and to serve with integrity,” Aburime added.
