UNIZIK Don Makes Case for Improved Power, Infrastructure for High-Tech Medicine

By Praise Chinecherem

A Professor at the Department of Radiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Kenneth Eze has urged Federal Government to address issues affecting power supply and infrastructure to improve high-tech medicine in the country.

Delivering his inaugural lecture titled: “Radiology In Nigeria: High-Tech Medicine In Technology-Challenged Low Resource Setting, Prof Eze said constant electricity and adequate infrastructure are both critical to the growth of high-tech medicine in the country.

He tasked the Federal Government to explore avenues to resolve lingering issues associated with power supply and infrastructure to improve technology-based Radiology services in the country.

According to him, “adequate and steady power supply in the form of steady electricity is to technology what food is to human survival.” He said the Radiology department in medicine depends 100 Percent on electricity, a reason government must fix the power sector for any meaningful growth in the area of high-tech medicine.

The university don who lamented that Nigeria still lags behind technologically, noted that practicing radiology in a country that is still dependent on technology and equipment from other countries is painful, difficult, and challenging.

He lamented that hospitals in the country spend millions to invite Europeans to the repair least faults in high-tech machines because of low capacities to install and maintain high-tech machines.

He highlighted the need for improved collaboration with engineers, effective town planning, technical education, improvement in research and technological development, and a strong apprenticeship system in technology to boost radiology practice in the country.

He also expressed need for a consensus at both the national and state legislative houses on what needs to be done as well as chart direction to actualize high-tech medicine in the country.

He urged the government to do everything possible to prevent brain drain and the attendant shortage of skilled manpower caused by the migration of medical professionals from the country. He also said the departures have caused gross disuse of expensive equipment in health facilities across the country.

Earlier, while declaring the 91st inaugural lecture open, UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Prof Charles Esimone said it was a meeting of town and gown and a way of telling the town reason for the elevation of a lecturer to the rank of a professor.

Also, the immediate past Dean, of UNIZIK Faculty of Agriculture, Prof Nkiru Meludu, said radiology cuts across many fields and is important in agriculture for sustainable food security.