Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo has described the Medical Laboratory Profession as a distinct career whose services are needed everywhere.
Dr. Banigo stated this during the 7th Orientation/ Oath Taking Ceremony of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria at the Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, 8th June, 2022.
Represented by the Director of Administration in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Ben Roberts, Dr. Banigo said the profession requires fine care and much diligence.
The Deputy Governor said the State Government was aware of the challenges of the health care delivery system, adding that through the Ministry of Health, Primary Healthcare Management Board and in collaboration with Private Medical Practitioners and relevant NGOs had evolved some concrete and proactive programmes aimed at addressing the issues to make our health facilities user friendly.
She urged the students to remain focused on the reason they were at the college and desist from the ills of higher institution.
“Seek the face of God in all your activities and join the Provost and Management of the College in placing the Institution on a fine base of health amongst the comity of Health Institutions”. She stressed.
In his remarks the Registrar/CEO, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Dr. Tosan Erhabor said the oath taking ceremony was taking place at a critical period when the global community was facing unprecedented challenges, the sort no training institution could have anticipated in the past.
He noted that the global pandemic was not only influencing professional practice, but also affecting the economy and wellbeing of the citizenry.
Also speaking, the Provost of the Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology, Prof. Franklin Eziho Nlerum expressed the determination of the Institution to collaborate with MLSCN to continue to offer quality academic platform, for training competent medical laboratory technicians that could compete with their peers globally.
Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of an Award of Excellence to the Deputy Governor. 42 grandaunts were inducted as Med. Lab. Technicians at the ceremony.
