… Emerges first state varsity to run programme

… Dependency on foreign mobility solutions will be curbed – VC

The University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo State, has inducted 32 pioneer graduates of Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O), with the development positioning the institution as the first state university to run the programme in the country.

With the induction ceremony, held at the Oladipo Akinkugbe Hall, Laje Campus of the university, the institution stressed that the event marked a historic milestone in Nigeria’s medical rehabilitation sector, which it said will reduce the reliance on foreign-trained specialists and address the growing demand for mobility solutions.

According to the dean of the Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation, Prof. Owolawi, the occasion is a major achievement for the institution and the healthcare sector.

Owolawi noted that the graduates had been equipped with the knowledge and practical skills required to restore mobility, confidence and dignity to people living with limb loss and other mobility challenges.

The vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, represented by the deputy vice chancellor, Prof. Patrick Osho, urged the inductees to remain committed to professionalism and ethical practice.

She emphasised that the profession demands the highest standards of competence, integrity and empathy and that the new practitioners must see their work as fundamentally rooted in service and restoration.

The Registrar of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria (MRTB), Prof. Rufai Yusuf Ahmad, commended UNIMED for pioneering comprehensive rehabilitation training in the country.

He stated that the university had created a unique platform where all medical rehabilitation programmes can thrive together, an achievement he said would significantly strengthen healthcare delivery nationwide.

Prosthetics and orthotics is a profession rooted in service and restoration. You must uphold the highest standards of competence, integrity and empathy in improving the lives of patients.

“UNIMED has provided a platform where all medical rehabilitation programmes can thrive together. This will significantly strengthen healthcare delivery in the country.”

Delivering the induction lecture, Dr Kingsley Onwukamuche charged the new professionals to uphold integrity, compassion and excellence in their practice, stressing that their profession offers hope and renewed dignity to persons with disabilities.

He urged the inductees to serve as advocates for inclusive healthcare policies and to leverage their training to fill critical gaps in Nigeria’s rehabilitation system.