Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED), has recorded many innovative achievements and breakthroughs in the field of sciences and medical education in the last 10years of the institution’s existence.
Similarly, the Vice Chancellor said efforts are being made to move to the main campus of the institution by next year, as some projects are being executed at the site.
Fatusi stated this on Wednesday in Ondo City during the press briefing for the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the university.
The journalists also visited major capital projects ongoing and completed by the VC.
The Don explained that UNIMED had made a headway among African universities in the last 10 years, stating that the institutions running 59 academic programmes had introduced new programmes which were not run in other universities in the country.
He pointed out that the institution had graduated three sets of doctors, dentists and nurses within the 10 years of its existence, an accomplishment that was unprecedented in the history of medical education in the country.
The VC said that alongside the subventions from the state government, the university partnered with individuals and institutions within and outside the country in funding its academic activities.
Fatusi said that the university’s policies encouraged scholars to carry out their research works within and outside the country.
The VC stated that UNIMED also focused on African herbal medicine, adding that the university had a degree programme for those that were already practicing herbal medicine to have a degree.
…..Photo: the VC also visited the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo.
The VC charged the federal and state governments in the country to give priority to adequate funding of their existing universities instead of establishing more.
He said that running effective and quality universities would gulp a lot of funds, pointing out that the existing universities in the country should be attended to properly in gaining their ground in the world.
Fatusi said “the truth is that, you cannot train medical doctors, dentists without some resources. And resources have to come from somewhere.
“That is why I urge federal government and state governments to fund their universities appropriately instead of creating new ones. The Ondo State Government is trying its best but we need more.
“For the private universities, it is their money but they must be regulated. Many of private universities have very low numbers of students and they will die naturally later because they can’t run them.
“University is not for business and not for profit making but to make impacts and better the nation,” he said.
According to Prof Fatusi, UNIMED tuition is relatively affordable and low compared to some universities’ tuition fees in the country.
“And the reason why we can’t charge high fees is because of the subsidy we get from government
“If we are not getting those subsidies, , we’ll be charging at par with the other universities,” he said.
Speaking on brain drain in the health sector, the vice chancellor asked government and other stakeholders to make medical students especially in the government owned universities to sign a bond that would make it compulsory for them to work for at least two years before leaving the country.
Fatusi said that any trained medical doctor that could not agree to such term should be made to pay his tuition fee, which according to him was not paid by students in federal universities.
