A call has gone to the federal and state governments to, as a matter of urgency, embark on massive employment of graduates of colleges of health education and technology to nip in the bud the mass exodus (japa) of trained health personnel to western countries in search of greener pastures.
This call was made by the Chief Medical Director of Babcock Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, a Professor of Pathology and Public Health, Mandong Barnabas Mafala, during the 1st Convocation Lecture of De Porter College of Health Technology, Oru-Ijebu.
The convocation lecture had as its theme; “Re-imaging College of Health Technology: A Pivot for Improving Health Care System in Nigeria.”
Professor Mafala noted that the employment of graduates of colleges of health technology provide personnels for the Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs) in the country under the management of local government authorities.
The CMD also admonished the three tiers of government to resuscitate the use of sanitary inspectors as it was done in the early ’60s, saying that this would help in improving health care education, lead to the provision of safe drinking water and healthy environment.
Prof. Mafala noted that the rationale behind the establishment of colleges of health technology was to bridge the gap in the shortage of healthcare personnel and to bring healthcare closer to the people in the grassroots.
In his speech at the lecture, the Provost of the College, Dr Oluwaseyi Adeware, commended the guest lecturer for sharing his wealth of experience with the institution.
Dr Adeware assured parents and students of De Potter College of Health Technology that the management of the college is poised to compete with its contemporaries, not only in the country, but internationally, through the provision of cutting edge medical apparatuses for practicals.
The Provost disclosed that the institution was graduating about 694 graduates, and thanked the staff of the college for their steadfastness and commitment to the growth of the college, adding that staff welfare will be at the front burner under his leadership.
