The newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo State, Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, has disclosed that the institution under her watch would be elevated to global prominence as well as become a leading centre of excellence in medical and health sciences education.

Speaking with newsmen on her resumption as the first female vice-chancellor of the specialised institution, Adejuyigbe emphasised that she would lead UNIMED into a season of institutional peace, renewed academic focus, and transformative development.

According to the Professor of Paediatrics, the institution would further strengthen academic and research programmes and also deepen industry and community partnerships.

Adejuyigbe, who stressed that the institution would focus more on the training of more doctors to tackle the issue of brain drain within the medical sector, stated that telemedicine within the institution would be improved.

She said: “We are ushering in an era of responsible leadership, collaborative engagement, and shared vision. This is a time of unity, renewed energy, and purposeful progress. With God on our side and with collective resolve, we will elevate UNIMED to global prominence as a leading centre of excellence in medical and health sciences education.

“I call on all staff, students, alumni, and stakeholders to come together in oneness of purpose — let us build, grow, and shine as one united community, fully committed to the success of our university.

“For without peace and unity, there can be little or no meaningful progress. We must therefore guard our harmony, nurture collaboration, and pursue our goals with one heart and one vision.

“Our strength is that we are a medical school, the first university that started medical sciences on its own. So, we are the trailblazers; everybody is running after us.

“The Japa syndrome is a problem that we must work on. I think the government should have started acting on it earlier than now. Our role in UNIMED is to produce more doctors and more health workers. Even if 10 per cent stays, 10 per cent of a large number will be significant.

“Our medical teachers are also going. In UNIMED, we plan to make sure we have lots of adjunct lecturers. We want to improve our telemedicine so that many of them can have lectures without being on the ground, and that will save us a lot of costs.”