UNN Class of 66 gives back to alma mater, society

Twenty years after their graduation, the 1996 medical class of the University of Nigeria (UNN) gathered in Enugu recently in a reunion that lasted for two days.

The former students, who came together for the first time since their graduation used the occasion to pay visits to some institutions where they made donation of drugs and medical facilities worth several thousands of naira. They also gave financial assistance to the places visited

The medical doctors, who came into Enugu from various parts of the world, visited the St. Vincent De Paul Seminary, Agbogugu, where they donated several drugs to assist in setting up the school’s clinic.

The school, which is the training centre for minor seminarians that eventually end up as Catholic priests and started 11 years ago has a population of 300 students. It was setting up the school clinic for the first time and the group felt there was need to assist them.

Also visited is the primary health centre in Akaegbugwu belonging to the Catholic Church, where the former classmates donated some drugs and financial assistance to make the place functional.

From there, they moved to the Old People’s Home at Awkunanaw Enugu and made similar donations and made out time after a courtesy visit on the provost, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria to engage student doctors at the UNTH in some mentoring sessions on the theme “life after medical school”

Leader of the group and chairman, Local Organising Committee, Prof Cyril Chukwudi Dim, told the Guardian that though the reunion was basically for reunion, they however felt the need to give back to the society through the less privileged.

He said: “We don’t just feel we should restrict ourselves and that is why we are reaching out. We are reaching out to the College and final year medical students. We want to groom, mentor and tell them about life after medical school. We could not organise a proper outreach because of time constraints, but we decided to give out some drugs and cash donations. We have visited some places and given them the drugs we have and cash donations. We chose these places because we felt that what we are giving them will reach the poor. We know how students are suffering and we know the cash donation will help them”