Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo 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 the good people of Rivers State.
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, 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 Rivers State
University Teaching Hospital.
He also
announced that the construction of the Department of Clinical Sciences and
Clinical Students Hostel will be completed on schedule.
He added
that all the necessary medical facilities designated to work as part of the
Rivers State University Teaching Hospital will be upgraded to serve the
purpose.
He 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 Rivers State
University Teaching Hospital.
Governor Wike announced that his administration will supply all necessary vehicles for the functional operation of the medical school and Teaching Hospital.
He, however,
stated that the state Government will construct a new School of Nursing
building because of the dilapidated nature of the current school. He said 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 that
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.
He said: “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.”
He said that
with the zeal that the Rivers State Governor is driving the College of Medical
Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, the two will be the
legacies that Rivers people will remember him.
Pro-Chancellor
of the Rivers State University, Justice Iche Ndu said that approval from the
National Universities Commission will lead to the Rivers State University
offering M.B.B.S. and Bachelor of Nursing Sciences.
Justice Ndu thanked the Rivers State Governor for approving and developing Former Brathwaite Memorial Hospital as the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. He also commended Governor Wike for developing key facilities for the development of the institution.
He commended Governor Wike for employing 75 specialist doctors to teach at the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.