The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde says his administration is building a legacy that will end the brain drain in the medical profession and make doctors stay in Nigeria.
Governor Makinde said he doubted if doctors could be replaced at the same speed at which they leave the country but hoped that the services of doctors and other medical personnel would be retained in Nigeria with the legacy his administration had been trying to build.
He disclosed this, on Thursday, while inaugurating a Special Task Force for the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
He said that “the purpose of the Task Force is for the accreditation of the medical programme in LAUTECH and its duty is to ensure that all conditions set to enable the accreditation of the programme, as stipulated by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, are met.”
The Governor urged the committee to perform the assignment with excellence, even as he expressed confidence in the ability of its members.
Governor Makinde, who went down memory lane, said back in November 2020 when Oyo State took over the sole ownership of LAUTECH from Osun State, the physical infrastructure could not be moved to Oyo State, so he had to negotiate for the sole ownership.
He further said that one of the structures Oyo State was not able to carry along was the College of Medicine, which used to be in Osun State. He, therefore, invited the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, to let the Oyo State Government know what needed to be done to get accredited.
Governor Makinde stated that: “They gave us interim registration and we trust you, and if you say something, you will follow through’. They gave us the list of things we are supposed to do so that we can continue to run our medicine programme at LAUTECH. So, this Task Force is to ensure these requirements are implemented.
“Also, there may be other things which the MDCN is not paying attention to that will make those programmes run effectively and the products from LAUTECH to be one of the best in the country,” the Governor noted.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the members of the Task Force to deliver the assignment in the shortest possible time, considering the outlook, qualification and experience of the people there, which speak of excellence.
Governor Makinde said: “I will ask that you perform this assignment with the same degree of excellence and devotion that you have come to be known for and diligently deliver on the mandate we are giving to you this morning.”
“So, this is our contribution to the building of the education sector and our dear country. We pray that with the legacy we are trying to build, in no distant future, doctors will be returning to Nigeria to practise rather than leaving,” he asserted.
The members of the Special Task Force include; Professor Juwon Arotiba (Chairman); Dr Adefemi Afolabi; Prof. Olawale Olakulehin, representing LAUTECH Governing Council; Professor Adewale Adeyemi, Provost, College of Health Sciences and Mrs C. Abioye, Ministry of Education.
Others are Dr Olusoji Adeyanju, Ministry of Health; Mr Olufisayo Ogunjinmi, Ministry of Public Works and the Registrar & Secretary to the LAUTECH Governing Council, Dr Kayode Ogunleye.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
