College Of Medical Sciences, RSUTH, My Legacy -Wike

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) form part of the legacy that he plans to leave for Rivers people.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the resource verification teams of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to the Rivers State University College of Medicine and Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and School of Nursing at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday, Governor Wike assured that his administration will sustain the investments in the health sector for the development of Rivers State.
“The Rivers State University College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital are part of the legacies that I will leave for the people of Rivers State.
“Health is key, and we will sustain the investments in the sector. Rivers State was created in 1967, without a College of Medicine to train qualified medical personnel. We only had the University of Port Harcourt Medical College, which is a Federal institution. What we are doing is to ensure that we have a College of Medical Sciences to groom our own medical personnel in the state”, he said.
He assured that his administration will continue to approve the employment of relevant academic and medical staff for the College of Medicine and the RSUTH.
He also announced that the construction of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Clinical Students Hostel will be completed on schedule, adding that all the necessary medical facilities designated to work as part of the RSUTH will be upgraded to serve the purpose.
The Governor informed that the Mother and Child Hospital, which will come on stream in May 2020, will serve as the support facility for gynecology and pediatrics of the RSUTH.
The Governor, who announced that his administration will supply all necessary vehicles for the functional operation of the medical school and Teaching Hospital, also stated that the state Government will construct a new School of Nursing building because of the dilapidated nature of the current school, saying that in the interim, the school will operate from the School of Midwifery.
Earlier, the leader of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Medicine Verification Committee, Prof MBT Umar, congratulated Governor Wike for the quantum leap in the provision of facilities for the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
He said at a time other states are afraid of setting up medical college, Governor Wike remains committed to the establishment and growth of the Medical College.
“This is a time when several states are afraid of setting up medical schools. I am not surprised on what we have seen at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. After all, you are Mr. Projects. If you have students at the clinical level, you are set”, the NUC boss said.
He continued that given the zeal with which the Governor is driving the College of Medical Sciences and the RUTH, the two will be the legacies by which Rivers people will remember him.
Pro-Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Justice Iche Ndu, on his part, said the approval from the NUC will lead to the Rivers State University offering M.B.B.S. and Bachelor of Nursing Sciences.
Justice Ndu thanked the State Governor for approving and developing the former Brathwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, while also commending the Governor for developing key facilities for the development of the institution.
He also commended Governor Wike for employing 75 specialist doctors to teach at the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.