…Says programme will equip health executives with skills, curb brain drain

The University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo State, has disclosed plans to kick-start an Executive MBA programme in health management, designed to develop visionary leaders capable of navigating the complex intersection of healthcare, technology, finance, and human behaviour.

According to the institution, the programme aims to equip clinicians transitioning into leadership, health administrators, public health professionals, NGO leaders, and sector entrepreneurs with the advanced managerial and analytical skills required to lead effectively in a dynamic environment.

The Dean of the Faculty of Health Law and Humanities in the institution, Prof. Leroy Edozien, while speaking with newsmen at the Laje campus, described the programme as a determined response to the leadership gap in health systems management.

Edozien emphasised that one of the programme’s standout features is its 100 per cent online delivery model, which he stressed will allow working professionals to study from anywhere in the world without career interruption.

The professor of health law stated that the programme is affordable compared to that of a foreign institution, maintaining that admission requirements are flexible, targeting professionals with at least one year of administrative experience in the health sector.

“When we talk about deficiencies in the health sector, the public’s mind goes mainly to shortage of staff and resources. What is not always remembered is that we need people to manage the system effectively. You can have all the resources in the world. If you don’t have the appropriate leadership, you’re not going to optimise the use of your resources.”

“You can stay where you are and study in your own time, at your own pace. You could be in Lagos, Maiduguri, New York, or Australia; all you need is your internet to connect with us. Candidates with BSc, BA, or HND qualifications are eligible, provided they have held a recognised leadership position.

“We have graduated three sets of master’s students through online teaching, and more recently, we have also conducted exams online. We have experience in running this.

Gone are the days where you just pick a doctor from somewhere and say that now he’s CMD. All they’ve ever known in their lives is just how to attend to a patient in a clinic and how to do an operation in a theatre, and they are thrust into this leadership position. Or somebody comes out of university with a BA in history or sociology and becomes director of human resources and so on, learning on the job.

“These days, it’s gone beyond that. Management has become more complex. So, those who pass through this programme, we expect them to have all those skills that I’ve talked about. They will be trained and educated by a multidisciplinary faculty. So, there will be people who will be teaching them aspects of law, business law, health law and so on.”

The Dean further linked the programme to efforts to kerb brain drain, noting that good leadership attracts and retains health workers.

“If you have good leadership, people want to join and get involved. If you have poor leadership, people get frustrated and leave. With strategic leadership, you can recognise where you need manpower and start to train them.

“Nigerian health professionals go outside the country and perform exceedingly well because they were trained here. This is going to be a locally delivered MBA, but it will be of global standards. The success of this programme is not just a success for UNIMED; it’s a success for Nigeria and our health system.”