BY Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

The University of Uyo , Akwa Ibom state has sworn in 28 medical doctors who recently completed their training from the institution’s College of Health Sciences, urging the graduands to be good ambassadors of the institution.

Speaking Thursday in Uyo during the 13th Physician’s Oath-Taking ceremony the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Enefiok Essien said the university has inducted 53 doctors in 2018 alone including the 28 new ones.

The VC who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Mrs Inyang Udofot charged the graduands to be guided by the ethics of the profession in their medical practice as the university has strived to produce the best in the profession.

He encouraged them to uphold the secrets of their patients and maintain the patient-doctor confidentiality, noting that the social media poses a challenge to many ethical ideals in medicine.

“The advent of social media today poses a great challenge to many ethical ideals in medicine. The secrets of patients and their autonomy risk being violated by just a chat or tweet, hence you are therefore reminded that the patient-doctor confidentiality is sacrosanct and must never be breached.

“On the part of the University, we shall continually strive to provide appropriate infrastructure and conducive environment for training to the best of our ability.

“The University has so far complied with requirement of the council in terms of infrastructures, equipment and manpower and we believe that with this in place, our request for increase in student quota will be granted,” he said.

The VC noted that the institution has complied with the requirement of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) in the area of training, manpower and infrastructure for the college of health sciences, the VC called on the registrar of the MDCN to increase the student quota for the college

Commending the new doctors on their induction, Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Dr. Augustine Umoh who described the medical practice as “tortuous” encouraged them to be compassionate to their patients.

Explaining that they should not neglect themselves while taking care of others, Umoh said, “Compassion to your patients is not negotiable. Show compassion to the sick and you have done a huge part of the care.

“Remember too that what goes around comes around and that you also could be a beneficiary of such compassion as we are all but humans. Many physicians forget about themselves as they toil to save humanity but it is important to note that it is only a healthy doctor that can provide qualitative patient care”.

Also speaking, State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Nsikak Nyoyoko told the new doctors that various options abound for them in the medical practice and needed guidance to make informed decisions.

He said whatever career path they chose in their medical practice, they should always be guided by the Patients’ Bill of Rights.