UNN Produces 79 Physiotherapists

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has as part of its relentless efforts to solve the current acute manpower shortage of physiotherapists in Nigeria rolled out 79 physiotherapists with a charge to not only maintain excellence but also to stick to professional code of ethics in carrying out their duties.

The physiotherapists have also been advised to use medical rehabilitation medicine (physiotherapy) to improve the longevity of Nigerians as it is tenable in developed countries  of the world.

In his address shortly after presenting the graduands to  the Registrar, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria, (MRTB), Mr. J.D. Jogunola for recognition, the head, department of Medical Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, College of Medicine of the University, Dr. Emeka Igwe, said that the lucky 79 physiotherapists  have been found worthy both in character and  learning in line with the motto of the university of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Dr. Igwe, therefore, expressed  joy that barely four months after his appointment as head of department, all the students who had long concluded their final examinations but had remained on the waiting list, had now been successfully inducted into the noble profession of physiotherapy.

He stated that despite enjoying full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) Abuja since 2008, the students faced a lot of challenges arising from absence of residential accommodation at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, (UNTH), Ituku Ozala , inadequate materials for clinical training, inadequate classrooms and lecturers as well as insufficient teaching and research facilities to ensure conducive learning.

Earlier in a lecture on “Rehabilitation In Contemporary Health Care Delivery”, the dean Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Nigeria, Prof. Chuba Okoye, had explained that rehabilitation medicine involved the management of disorders that alter the function and performance of the patient, adding that emphasis was placed on the optimization of modalities, physical training with therapeutic exercise as well as movement activities modification.

Professor Okoye further stated that the first-ever world Report on disability revealed that of the over one billion disabled people in the world, between1 10 to 190 million of them, encounter significant difficulties in their daily lives.

Some of the graduands, Okpe Ikechukwu, James Okoli and Miss Eberechi Udo, who praised God for their academic successes, called on the Federal Government to offer physiotherapists automatic employment after their NYSC in view of the critical importance of medical rehabilitation medicine in the nation’s health care system.

The occasion which was the 16th induction ceremony of the institution, attracted principal officers of the University, including the deputy vice chancellor, UNEC, Prof Mrs. Ifeoma Enemo who represented the vice chancellor, Prof. Bartho Okolo and the provost, college of medicine, UNN, Prof. Basden Onwubere.