An expert in reproductive medicine, Dr Ibrahim Wada, has said Nigeria has adequate human and material resources for advanced medical practice and improved medical standards hinged on research.
The medical expert spoke at the inauguration of the ethics committee of Nisa Medical Group in Abuja during which he described the organisation as the biggest private training centres for doctors in Nigeria.
The 10-member committee headed by Prof. Nkeruika Ameh, is charged with ensuring high standards in practice, ensuring premium service to patients and promoting training and research.
The committee has Dr Amina Isah, Dr Khalid Aliyu Abubakar, Prof Joseph Otubu, Dr Chris Danga, Prof Adebiyi Adesiyun, Dr Terfa Simon, Nurse Oluchi Ndubueze and Mrs. Patricia Kupchi as members while Barrister Halita Adekunle serves as Secretary.
Speaking at the event, Wada, who is the chief executive officer of the medical group, said the 10-member committee was inaugurated to ensure international best practices in training, research and medical services.
Wada said: “It is expected that medical scientists from all the fields of medicine present their thoughts, their proposal to this group, scrutinise what is intended to be done and see that the interest of the patient is protected at all times.”
“NISA is the biggest private training establishment for doctors in this country, in terms of residency training, house officers training and post residency training of doctors. It falls out rightly in place for us, many of the teaching hospitals have this kind of committee, and we too must have one now because we are almost there,” the CEO also said.
“So, all over the world, the constitution of the ethics committee is a fundamental step to entering medical research. It is expected that as medical scientists from all fields of medicine we present their thoughts and proposals to this committee and they will query more into what is intended to be done, and ensure that the interest of the patients, the interest of human beings are protected at all times,” Wada also said.
Earlier in his remark, the Medical Director Nisa Premier Hospital Dr Monday Solomon , explained that the ethics committee was constituted to ensure no harms were done to patients during training, research and while rendering medical services.
“The ethics committee was constituted because of the kinds of work that we do. As a hospital that is involved in a lot of training and research, so we felt it is important for this committee to be set up, because we offer intervention and various kinds of treatment to patients that come in. We also offer intervention in certain areas of research, even broad-based research.”
In her remarks, the committee chairman, Professor Ameh thanked the management of Nisa Premier Hospital for the opportunity to serve on the committee.
“I feel happy to be called to perform this role to a great institution like NISA Group. It’s doable because am not alone. I have a team of seasoned professional individuals from every work of life. So for anything that concerns ethics, we will put our heads together to bring out the best solution to ethical concerns,” she promised.
