Health commissioner commends West African College of Physicians accreditation team

Tue, May 4, 2021
By editor
3 MIN READ

Health

THE Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Vincent Okpala, has commended the West African College of Physicians’ accreditation team for their routine checks and evaluation of the training facilities for pediatric students.

Receiving the team, who was in the state to accredit Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, noted that pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents.

“Pediatrics as an important discipline in medicine is one of the bedrock of healthcare delivery. If we get it right then it will ensure that the leaders of tomorrow are going to do the great job we are training them for and we are happy that you are here.

“Heading the ship of affairs in COOUTH is a personality that has actually sat in the helm of affairs in the state, Joe Akabuike, a former commissioner for health now Chief Medical Director, CMD, COOUTH,” he said.

According to him, Akabuike has been involved in this process in the past and it is great that he is the one also heading the helm of affairs at our flagship hospital at this point.

The commissioner explained that the state government committed resources to the hospital with the objective of securing the ongoing accreditation.

“We have worked hard to make sure that we don’t fail in this and failure is not usually in our dictionary and we are not going to start it now.

“Our hope is that this is going to be a great event; the exercise hopefully will come out in flying colors.

“Personally, the state is passionate about pediatrics, about care in that area and my background is pediatrics emergency medicine so it is something we are committed to,’’ the commissioner said.

Okpala urged the team not to relent in notifying the ministry in the areas of improvement while carrying out their duties, assuring them that the state would gladly accept their findings in order to improve.

In his speech, Akabuike informed the commissioner that the team was in the state to accredit the hospital’s pediatrics unit and that he should be aware of their presence in the state.

The leader of the team, Prof. Ifeoma Anochie, said that they would assess the quality of the medical education program as well as the competence of the hospital with regards to the training of pediatric students.

She noted that the exercise is aimed at ensuring the safety of patients and competence of pediatricians practicing in West Africa with the objective of eliminating quacks.

She thanked the commissioner for the warm reception accorded them, urging him to remain focused.

The West African College of Physicians’ team is saddled with the responsibility of accrediting medical education of pediatrics programs in West Africa.

– MAY 04, 2021 @ 09:56 GM

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