The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Engr Samuel Nwanosike, has noted that the presence of PAMO University of Medical Sciences trainee doctors in Ikwerre LGA would impact positively on the lives of his people and the entire state.
He made the statement, last Wednesday while granting audience to a delegation of PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at his office in Isiokpo.
The PUMS’ delegation was in Ikwerre Council headquarters for an advocacy meeting with the chairman of Ikwerre LGA in order to galvanise his support to PUMS’ trainee doctors whowould soon be in area for a free medical outreach.
Nwanosike averred, “We believe that the presence of these trainee doctors would impact on us positively because as they are getting this training, somehow too, at a particular stage they will be posted to some of the local facilities around here to try their hands before will now exit.
“So, in that way, they are also offering service to our people and reducing the stress of manpower that we have”.
He promised the PAMO University students of safety while undergoing the free medical outreach.
While saying that medical doctors from the Rivers State Ministry of Health would be added to the trainee doctors for guidance, Nwanosike noted that the free medical outreach would be done at Model Health Centre, Adanta, Isiokpo, and Model Health Centre, Omagwa, in order to reach out to good number of people.
He revealed that he would construct a befitting residence in Isiokpo that would accommodate the student doctors during the period of the programme.
Nwanosike used the opportunity to commend Rivers StateGovernor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for awarding free scholarship to Rivers sons and daughters to study Medicine and Surgery at PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, saying that it was already rubbing off on the citizens of the state.
A Professor of Community Medicine who is on sabbatical at PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Prof Emmanuel Aguwa, while narrating why the delegation of PAMO University was in the area, asserted that PAMO University was a new university and one of the three universities in Nigeria that only train medical doctors and other allied professionals.
He described the students’ free medical outreach in Ikwerre LGA as a win-win situation, stressing that both PUMS and Ikwerre LGA would benefit immensely.
“So, what we come today is to get the political will. We can’t do anything without this entry behaviour. We must go through the right way by coming to you, sir, and the deputy chairman because without your supports nobody can do anything here”, Aguwa said.
The Director of Academic Planning, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Prof Ngozi Odu, who is the leader of the delegation, used the opportunity to eulogise Nwanosike for his unprecedented achievements.
She said, “I would want to take this opportunity as well to commend you on the tremendous good work you are doing in Ikwerre Local Government. It’s actually unprecedented. You just stand out and we want to say God will continue to guide and protect you and direct your footsteps so that at the end of the day your legacies would outlive each and every one of is that are here today. The work you are doing for your people is something that even in your old age it will be ringing a bell upon generations unborn”.
On her part, a Public Health Consultant and Lecturer at PUMS, Dr Chidinma Opara, reiterated that the foresight Wike has in investing on Rivers indigenes was turning to huge manpower for the state.

By: Nelson Chukwudi