Medical practitioners in the country have been advised to take care of their health in order to provide high quality healthcare to the nation.
The call was made by Ambassador Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu at the Induction and Swearing-in-Ceremony of the 26th Set of Medical Graduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University to the noble medical profession.
The event which took place on Tuesday, 11th February, 2020 at the Auditorium of Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences, Sagamu had the Registrar, Medical Council of Nigeria, (MDCN) Dr. T. A. B. Sanusi ably represented by Dr. Henry Okonponkeye swearing in 41 Medical Graduands into the medical profession.
Ambassador Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu who was the Guest Speaker at the occasion urged medical practitioners to always look after themselves and accept that as human beings they were prone to breakdown as a result of stress factors associated to their profession.
Dr. Awolowo-Dosunmu whose lecture was entitled “Medical Practice: Staying cautioned medical doctors to always set realistic goals for themselves and learn how to acquire specific skills for time management. She added that “as a doctor, you must take Healthy time out for yourself each day, learn to relax, be positive and develop a sense of humour.”
The guest speaker was of the opinion that employers of medical practitioners have a key role to play in safeguarding the health of their staff by providing a supportive work environment and encouraging the use of the workplace to provide health education and health promotion activities.
She emphasized the need for employers to allow doctors influence their work environment by giving them clinical autonomy and reducing workplace stressors.
While calling on the medical community to help one another to stay well, Dr. Awolowo-Dosunmu warned doctors to be less competitive but be more cooperative and must accept that “human weaknesses are natural and occasional failures are inevitable in the profession.” She, therefore, advised the medical community to support one another through difficult times, especially, during investigations. She said that for a doctor to perform optimally, he should be giving achievable expectations, reasonable job descriptions and schedules.
According to her, “unhealthy doctors cannot be expected to deliver high quality healthcare to the nation.”
The Guest Speaker advised the nation’s healthcare managers to have a vision of a “healthcare system where doctors are as healthy as they wish their patients to be and where organizations create nurturing environments.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Provost of the Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences, (OACHS), Professor A. O. Olatunji who would later present the inductees to the Registrar MDCN for the swearing-in-ceremony acknowledged the fact that the medical graduates had been properly and adequately trained to practice as doctors. He however, cautioned them, that when they start their medical practice, they should do it with high sense of responsibility, integrity and with the interest of their patients at all times. He warned them not to expect immediate financial reward in medical practice.
“You may not be immediately adequately rewarded financially, but you can be guaranteed of light at the end of the tunnel.
“You will all succeed in whatever area of medicine you eventually choose to practice and for those of you that may not practice medicine, let the discipline, morals and integrity associated with the medical profession guide you always.”
The Provost urged them to always remember their Alma Mata by contributing to further development of the existing facilities and infrastructure.
Professor A. O. Olatunji, thereafter, congratulated the inductees and their parents for the happy occasion.
In his own address at the event, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ganiyu Olatunji Olatunde who was the Chief Host at the occasion, was full of praise to God for making the day possible and for the giant strides being taken by the University to achieve its tripodal mandate of teaching, research and community service. He congratulated the inductees for completing their studies as scheduled in spite of all odds within and outside the University environment.
The Vice-Chancellor stated that the inductees have managed to weather the storm which have resulted in their formal induction into the medical profession.
“I felicitate with you and admonish you to be worthy ambassadors of this great University and as you go into the world, it is my hope that you will maintain the honour usually bestowed upon this great institution and keep the flag flying.
“I urge you to always remember your Alma Mata in all that you do. We have no doubt that with the depth of training that you have received, you are bound to excel in all you may encounter out there,” said Professor Ganiyu Olatunde.
The Vice-Chancellor also advised the medical graduates that their induction into the medical profession was not the end of learning process and that whatever path they choose, as long as they practice medicine, “it is a lifelong path of dedication to the wellbeing of your patients for which you must continue to study, learn and break new grounds in your profession.”
One of the major high points of the event was the declaration of Akinyemi Olamide Sunday who won four prizes out of the 10 available as the overall best student for the 26th graduating set of doctors.
