Health Commissioner advises 139 newly inducted graduates

The 139 newly inducted medical and dental graduates of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, (UNILAG) had been advised to join other health workers in providing formidable healthcare for the public.

Dr Jide Idris, the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, gave the advice on Friday at the induction of the 2015 graduating set.

He said that the first aim of the profession was to save life which he described as the special role naturally ascribed to doctors within the health team.

"Healthcare has not always been recognised as a team sport as we have recently come to think of it, because of rapid change will continue to accelerate as both clinicians and patients, integrate new technologies into their management of wellness.

"The care of a patient is the joint responsibility of the health team with each professional cadre playing distinct and important roles in the continuum of patient management.

“Teamwork requires conscious effort, compromise and understanding because a doctor cannot play the role of a nurse, pharmacist, and laboratory scientist.

"All teams have certain roles and responsibilities that are routinely indicated to support the team's functioning.

"These roles include: team leadership as well as other tasks. I still believe that the doctor is best placed to be the leader of the health team," Idris said.

Idris urged the inductees to be hard working and committed to their duties.

"Contribute positively to the development of the health sector and impact on the well-being of the citizens.

"This is a responsibility that should be taken on with every sense of diligence and respect for the human life and its complexities," he said.

Also speaking, Prof Folashade Ogunsola, the Provost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, said that the burden of ill-health was on the increase while the numbers of healthcare professionals were becoming fewer in the health system.

"We have one doctor to 3,500 patients and one dentist to 55,000 population as against 1:600 and 1:7500 that is recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO).

" The numbers for other health professionals are as bad which means we are fighting a war in which we are greatly outnumbered.

"We need physician scientists in the clinical and basic sciences to push forward the frontiers of medical knowledge.

"We need interdisciplinary service not only between medics but also with other health professionals to solve complex problems," Ogunsola said.

Responding on behalf of the graduates, Mr Olusola Akinade, said he would serve the nation by saving lives, having trained as a professional in the health sector.

He also advised the students to believe in themselves and use their secret weapons by reading well.

Another graduate, Miss Oluwakemi Windajo, said she would use her training at the institution to enhance national development and save lives.