In a bold show of support for excellence and dedication, PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), Port Harcourt, has rewarded 65 newly inducted medical doctors with a total of N5.5 million, at N100,000 each.
The cash awards were announced by the Acting Vice Chancellor of PUMS on behalf of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Peter Odili, during the induction and oath-taking ceremony for the Faculty of Clinical Sciences on Monday, October 6, 2025.
Dr. Odili, a former Governor of Rivers State, expressed gratitude to God for the institution’s remarkable progress in less than eight years of existence, noting that the university had already produced about 330 healthcare professionals serving both in Nigeria and abroad.
“It gives us immeasurable pleasure and gratitude to Almighty God for the progress PAMO has recorded in under eight years. Today, we are inducting our third set of doctors, bringing the total number of professionals trained by this university to over 330,” Odili said.
He stressed that if other medical institutions across the country matched PUMS’ pace and commitment, Nigeria would not feel the impact of professionals leaving for greener pastures abroad.
“If we have more than enough doctors on ground, we won’t miss those who go away,” he added.
Dr. Odili also urged the Federal Government to increase investment in the health sector and review the remuneration of health workers, describing them as critical to national prosperity.
“A healthy nation is a wealthy nation. We congratulate the President for his bold initiatives in the health sector and urge him to invest more in training professionals and reviewing remuneration. That way, he will be killing two birds with one stone,” he stated.
Odili further commended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for sustaining the state’s full scholarship scheme for indigent students at PAMO University, describing it as a solid foundation for improved healthcare delivery in the state.
“We thank the Rivers State Government, especially the Governor, for sustaining the scholarship scheme for our students who are indigenes. We urge other states to emulate this initiative, it is an investment in the nation’s health,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Smith Jaja congratulated the 65 graduands, describing them as products of world-class medical training.
“These graduates have gone through the best training any medical graduate can receive anywhere in the world. They are the first medical doctors to sit for final examinations and graduate from the PAMO Teaching Hospital,” he declared.
Delivering the induction lecture titled “The Doctor – Honouring a Call, Not Just a Profession,” Prof. John Ikimalo, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, charged the new doctors to uphold empathy, compassion, and courage in their practice.
“Always treat your patients with kindness. They may forget the medications you prescribed, but they will never forget how you made them feel,” he advised.
Conducting the oath-taking ceremony, Prof. Fatima Kyari, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), reminded the inductees that practicing medicine without registration was illegal.
“After your housemanship, you’ll receive a Certificate of Experience, which you’ll use for full registration and NYSC enrollment. Without full registration, you cannot practice. With it, you become an entity of your own but remember, it’s against the law to practice without annual licensing,” she warned.
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