RIVERS GOVT TO PARTNER INTERNATIONAL SURGEONS’ COLLEGE FOR CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has said that his administration will collaborate and partner the International College of Surgeons (ICS) in training quality post graduate and specialist doctors in the state.

The Governor has therefore called on qualified surgeons in the association to be ready to take up research and teaching appointments in the propose college of health sciences in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST).

Chief Wike stated this while declaring open the 49th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association Thursday, in Port Harcourt.

The Governor who was represented by His Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, said ignorance is a major factor militating against the treatment of cancers cases especially in the rural areas.

“As a responsive government we are not unaware of the challenges facing healthcare delivery system in Rivers State, particularly the shortage of highly skilled surgeons and other manpower” he said.

The Governor therefore called for concerted actions from stakeholders in tackling the menace and burden of cancer in Nigeria, and commended the organizers for drawing national and global attention to the cancer scourge.

In his keynote address, the President of International College of Surgeons (ICS) Prof. Reginald Ofoegbu, lamented the ugly trend of medical tourism even in areas where competent manpower exist in the country.

Prof. Ofoegbu remarked that high level of ignorance still pervade the nation and urged citizens to help medical professionals by dispelling superstition as causes of ailment.

Earlier in a welcome speech, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Prof. Rollings Jamabo, said the theme of the Conference Burden of Cancers in Nigerian and its sub theme Mass Casualty Management in Nigerian was apt following several cases of cancer that impose disproportionate demands on the limited medical services in the nation’s hospitals.

He, therefore urged the conference participants to proffer ways of enhancing knowledge of management of mass casualty like bomb explosion and gunshots victims in the Nigerian environment.

Paulinus Nsirim
Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor
Thursday June 18th, 2015