UNILORIN moves to check medical tourism with clinical training capacity

…inducts 124 medical doctors

Having observed increasing capital lights which medical tourism cost Nigeria on an annual basis, the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences has made some frantic moves to check medical tourism with the quality of medical and clinical training to would-be medical doctors and health workers.

Consequently, the University is said to have improved its clinical training, adopting current trends in health innovations for effective medical practice to embrace transformative potential of cutting-edge health technologies and sound implications for healthcare professionals.

Speaking during the administration of the Hippocratic Oath on the 124 new medics inducted into the nation’s medical profession at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) on Monday, Wahab Egbewole SAN, Professor of International Law and the Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, emphasised the importance of personal well-being for the new medical doctors, saying, “it takes the living to talk to the living” hence, the University is pulling all strings to ensure that best medics are being produced annually from the University.

He however urged the inductees to prioritise their health while serving others, even as he advised them to be guided by the ethics of the profession and contribute significantly to the development of humanity, asking medical doctors to communicate effectively with patients and show empathy as well as to the listening skills in medical practice.

Egbewole, reminded the new doctors that their learning journey had only just begun, adding that the medical profession requires continuous education and self-improvement, which should remain a priority throughout their careers as Nigeria moves to control the increasing capital flights on medical tourism.

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Earlier, Sulyman Alabi, Professor and Provost of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), advised the inductees to uphold the noble standards of the medical profession.

Alabi reminded the inductees that many aspire for the title of a “doctor,” but a few would always get it, urging them to maintain the integrity and professionalism expected of them, just as he asked the new medics to treat their patients with compassion, humility, and listening ears, likening their role to that of a divine caretaker.

While emphasising the importance of recognising limitations, the Provost cautioned the inductees to seek guidance, saying this would distinguish them from those who prioritise titles over skills.
Alabi, however, warned them against overconfidence in their abilities, noting that only quacks claim to know everything.

Delivering the keynote lecture, Wale Sulaiman, Professor and renowned Neurosurgeon delved into the revolutionary changes shaping modern medical practice.

Sulaiman highlighted how advances such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, telemedicine, and genomics are already altering patient care models, noting that the innovations hold the potentials to significantly improve diagnostic accuracy, personalise treatments, and optimise patient outcomes, “but they also require doctors to continuously update their knowledge and skills to keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape.”

But, Fatima Kyari, the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), who was represented by Suleiman Enojo, called on the inductees to become lifelong learners as medical knowledge would continue to evolve alongside technological advancements.