…Inducts 33 UI physiotherapist
By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Registrar, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria (MRTB), Professor Ahmad Rufai has said the Federal Government is doing a lot to stem the tide of brain drain in the country, particularly of medical and health professionals.
Noting that, although he does not have the right to speak for the FG on the subject matter, he said he is aware that the FG through the ministry of health and the ministers are already putting a lot in place to tackle the menace.
He spoke with journalist on Tuesday shortly after inducting 33 fresh physiotherapist of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI) into the physiotherapy profession.
The inductees christened Stellar 2024 are Bachelor of Physiotherapy graduating class of the College.
The event which was attended by management and staff of the University, the CoMUI, professional elders, professional bodies, friends, parents and guardians of the inductees among others held at the Paul Hendrickse Lecture Theatre of the College.
Lamenting the challenges the departure of medical professionals have brought on the country, the MRTB boss said the country don’t even have enough physiotherapist to go round to service the sector, yet newly trained personnel are leaving. He said the Board is coming up with measures to tackle the menace.
Admitting the new professional on oath to the Physiotherapy profession, the the MRTB Registrar congratulated the inductees and urged them to uphold the professional ethics, warning that the standard must not be lowered as the Board will not tolerate any form of compromise that can be to the detriment of the people it meant to serve and the profession as a whole.
He said “This graduates that came into the system few years ago, as students they passed through programs, that taught them, gave them knowledge and skills for practice in Physiotherapy profession and they have just graduated and after graduation, we induct them and the induction is to administer the oath of practice and then give them a provisional license. This is what we have done today.
“Brain drain is a very big concern for us all because the number of professionals is even very small compared to the population we have in the country. We have just around 7000 medical rehabilitation professional, around 6000 physiotherapist have been registered. That’s not the number that is on ground but that is the number that has been registered with the board.
“So with the number that has left and people that have retired, we are having not less than 3000 at the moment. This is really very small to cater for the needs of the population that we have in Nigeria. So this is a very serious concern for us.
“We know federal government is trying to do it’s best to have an environment that will help people to stay but on our own part as a board we have approved for university to double the number of admission, the number that they admit but that also comes with a very strong evaluation, because the number I’m talking about is small.
“There are still many people out there that are not employed and therefore it’s really very important to say that they are employed especially in academia so that we’ll be able to produce much. As I have said, you don’t just produce more, you need to do something that we’ll help for people to stay in the country.
“I know the ministry of health is doing a lot in that regards so I can’t speak on that but I know the Ministry of health and the Ministers have been really doing well to make sure that the conditions of service improves so that people would stay.
“But our own part of what we are doing is to ensure that they is more coming into the system. We are encouraging universities that has not started Masters and PhDs to starts because we need those that have post graduate programs to be able to increase the number of intake and be able to have more of the professionals out there.”
The Provost, CoMUI, Professor Olayinka Omigbodun called for the unity of purpose among the academia and the new inductees. She noted that the country as a whole has suffered numerous setbacks because people see themselves from their ethnic or religious views before the Nigerian view.
Harping on the importance of unity, Omigbodun charged physiotherapists in the country to promote teamwork in the workplace and among the professionals, adding that there is no greater threat to the survival of any organisation than disunity.
She enjoined the new inductees to see the adversity and challenges they went through while in school as the preparations they needed to have ahead of the challenges of life.
The Chairman of the occasion, Professor Kayode Adebowale who is the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan urged the inductees to commit themselves to the tenets of the professionals and give good account of themselves anywhere they go as ambassadors of the College and the university as a whole.
He further urged them to look at problems they can solve in the country before thinking or making up their minds on seeking greener pastures outside the country, noting that they are the beautiful future of the physiotherapy profession.
Also speaking, the President, Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association (ICOMAA) Worldwide, Professor Emmanuel Otolorin said although he, just like other elders in the profession cannot ask any of the inductees not to seek greener pastures elsewhere, he advised them to have a positive mental attitude to come back to the country to build and develop it after they might have acquired more trainings.
He said the country cannot afford to continue to build graduate for other countries and thereby building their health sector at the expense of the country.
Highpoint of the induction was presentation of awards and and scholarships to deserving inductees and students.
