By Chioma Obinna

When former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, declared that Nigeria has enough doctors to cater for its over 200 million population, the minister was branded as a saboteur in the health system by his colleagues and other stakeholders.

Cross section of the students of PUMS during their matriculation recently.

The outburst may not be unconnected with the fact that almost every Nigerian family has been affected one way or the other by the acute shortage of medical doctors across the country.

For instance, in most public hospitals a doctor sees about 100 patients every clinic day.

Ngige’s statement also triggered a debate on the number of medical doctors in the country.

According to figures from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, however, Nigeria has an estimated 35,000 medical doctors, amounting to one physician per 6, 000 residents or one physician to 1, 000 families.

With this, Nigeria ranks among countries with the lowest number of medical doctors worldwide as World Health Organisation, WHO, recommends that every nation should have at least one physician to 435 persons.

This means that to meet WHO recommendation, the country needs at least 460,000 physicians while the present figures show that Nigeria is 425,000 away from achieving the dream.

The country is also not faring well in terms of other health professionals.

There is also acute shortage of other professionals like nurses and medical laboratory scientists.

Despite these challenges, however, it remains an uphill task for students who apply to pursue courses in the medical field in universities, private or public.

In recognition of these challenges and others, PAMO University Medical Science, PUMS, is changing the narrative through the establishment of Nigeria’s first all-purpose medical science university such that products would not only attempt to close the gap in the number of physicians needed in the country, but also to churn out doctors, pathologists, nurses, physiologists, among others, who would compete with their counterparts across the world.

The university, sited in a serene atmosphere in a large expanse of land off Aba Road in Port Harcourt, has courses such as anatomy, biochemistry, human nutrition and dietetics, pharmacology, physiology and nursing, medical laboratory science in the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, as well as Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences.

According to the school management, it recognizes how much medical science graduates are of high demand in the country due to its population and strives to become a healthcare destination for residents and other African countries.

Established14 months ago, PUMS held its second matriculation for medical students and its allied health counterparts in Port Harcourt, with the number of Nigerian young prospective university students filling their Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) already exceeding the quota the school has set for new students.

According to a former governor of Rivers State and Pro-Chancellor of the university, Dr. Peter Odili, the school was gradually establishing its name in gold, and in no distance, time will be an institution to reckon with not just in Nigeria but also across Africa and beyond.

Odili noted that in less than 14 months, Nigerians were now choosing the school ahead of the quota set by the university, adding that this has, in a short time, made PUMS to become a choice of study for many Nigerians filling their JAMB forms.

He said: “Those who are filling PAMO University in their JAMB forms have surpassed the space we have for students. This shows that many students want to come to the school for their academic pursuit. Our plan is to ensure that graduates from this institution are exceptional in the course of offering healthcare services to Nigerians. And for that to happen, they must be certified worthy in character and learning, which is what we are pursuing”.

To the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Michael Diejomaoh, the matriculation ceremony was an opportunity to showcase the institution’s uniqueness, adding that students should take their studies seriously.

Diejomaoh, a world-class obstetrician and gynaecologist, urged the students on the need not to flout the rules and regulations of the institution, telling them that at the end of their studies, they won’t regret attending the university as they would stand out in their chosen professions.

Also speaking at the occasion, a former Head of State and Chancellor of PUMS, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (ret.), described the institution as a world-class university dedicated to building healthcare workers, including medical doctors and nurses among others in the country.

Commending the state government for supporting the school, he said the progress made in PUMS within the last one year shows the prospects and what the future holds for Nigerians.

Abdulsalami explained that PUMS would strive to address challenges associated with medical practice and education in order to achieve global excellence in terms of teaching, research and community services.

On his part, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, said he was glad that students from the institution can now use the state teaching hospital for their training, adding that products of the school would eventually benefit the state, as well as the country.

Wike, whose government is sponsoring 100 students every year in PUMS, said the state will also support the school with N250 million.

He called on illustrious sons and daughters of the state to emulate the pro-chancellor by establishing institutions that have a lasting legacy.

PUMS could not have come at a better time than now when the country’s health sector is in dire need of help.