On Tuesday December 23, 2014, General Ibrahim B. Babangida, (rtd), GCFR, FNMC, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, received the NPMCN delegation led by the College President, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade, FMCR, PNMC at his Hilltop Mansion, Minna, Niger State.
Prof. Arogundade, while appreciating the warm reception granted the delegation, reminded the former President of the College’s vision, mission and functions. He also briefed him on the programmes and achievements of the College. Highlighting the Challenges facing the College, he said “The College has had a stunted growth since it was established and this has undermined its main function which is to produce adequate number of Consultants/Lecturers in all branches of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry.
The objective of the visit according to the College President was to enjoin him to champion the commencement of a bridge-building process with Honorary Fellows of the College as well as to seek his ‘special intervention’ in getting the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to fund the establishment of a Clinical Skills and Simulation Laboratory in the College for improved training of Specialists for the country.
The former President was informed that the College is proposing to organize a gathering of all Honorary Fellows of the College at a special event tagged “Honourary Fellows’ Day”. According to Prof. Arogundade, it will serve as an avenue for the College to tap into the enormous social and business connections of these honorable statesmen, traditional rulers, philanthropists, and business leaders.
He requested the consent of the retired Army General to serve as the Convener of the event. The decision to choose him as the convener was based on his personality as one of the respected Honorary Fellows of the College, Elder Statesman and Past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that has brought real innovations into many spheres of life. The event is proposed to hold in June/July 2015 after the general elections.
On the establishment of the Clinical Skills and Simulation Laboratory, the College President briefed him on the several unrelenting efforts to get TETFUND to fund the project. Justifying the establishment of the laboratory, he said “medical doctors are increasingly finding it difficult to get willing patients with multifarious diseases for teaching; and fewer and fewer patients for examination purposes”. He also noted that developed countries have been able to overcome this difficulty by the use of mannequins and simulators for learning and assessment. “This facility, when completed, will therefore be equipped with mannequins and simulators to ensure that quality of training maintains international standards. This is, without doubt, part of efforts that will stem medical tourism”.
Seeking Gen. Babangida’s assistance, the College President requested his intervention on the College’s request to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR to empower TETFUND to fund the Clinical Skills and Simulation Laboratory, in conformity with his administration’s Transformation agenda.
In his remark, General Ibrahim Babangida thanked the College delegation for taking time out to visit him in his residence. He assured the College President of his support and responded positively to the College requests.
The visit ended on a good note with group photographs taken. Present at the visit were Dr. Rasheed A. Arogundade, College President, Dr. Oluwole A. Atoyebi, College Registrar, Dr. Oyenike O. Ekekezie, Deputy Registrar (Admin), Dr. Amina Shamaki, Permanent Secretary (Special Duties) Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Hassan Abdullahi, Director, SGF Office and Mrs. Abimbola Agbaje, Secretary to the College President.
