….Orthopedic association pledges constructive engagement, promotion of research
The newly-elected National President of the Nigerian Orthopedic Association, Prof. Sydney Ibeanusi has pledged to engage in constructive dialogue with government and other stakeholders in the medical field.
Ibeanusi made the pledge at a dinner and award programme to mark the closing session of the 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific conference of the association in Abuja on Friday.
He further pledged to promote research during his tenure as president.
He would also use his influence as the Director of Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Diaspora engagement, Federal Ministry of Health, and as a visiting consultant to the National Hospital Abuja, to drive home the association’s agenda.
Ibeanusi said that his knowledge and spirit in the medical field would be brought to bear, guide and support him to achieve some of the set out agendas of the Nigerian Orthopaedic Association.
“If you understand the history of our association, it is something we pride ourselves, what I will be doing differently is to build on what my predecessor has done.
“A lot of men brought out their time, their skill, their knowledge and commitment to this great association and built it to the point where we are today and that is one of the rebirths of society across the globe.
“Nigeria Orthopaedic Association is rebirthing in the United States of America, in UK and Europe and other parts of the world, all our surgeons are being sought after.
“So what I will be doing differently is to add to what they have done like I did mention in my acceptance speech, I have been in the academia and I reached the apex of my academic career to the level of a professor.
“I have been in the private service; I have been in the philanthropic service where I offered and treated over 100,000 Nigerians free of charge through the Doctors without Borders programme and now I’m in the public service as a director in the Federal Ministry of Health.
“I have been the director of trauma and emergency and disasters response in the in the same Federal Ministry of Health; with all these background, knowledge and the spirit which I’m bringing to bear will support me,” he said.
The professor said he would continue to engage the government in constructive action, but not confrontational “but we will be decisive.”
He promised to give more quality care to Nigerians who deserved orthopaedic and trauma services.
Ibeanusi recalled that the association recently did knee surgeries on 10 lucky Nigerians free as pre AGM activities, adding that ordinarily such surgeries would have cost each one of them N6 million.
He said that the association is happy with what he is doing and would continue to do more philanthropic work and reach out to many Nigerians.
He called for government support to enable the association to carry out some of the tasks.
According to him, Nigerians don’t need to travel abroad to do anything related to trauma, joint replacement, spine or back problem treatment and that some of these treatment are currently done in the country.
The dinner ushered in new set of executives that will be piloting the affairs of the association for another two years.
Some prominent Nigerians were given awards for their support for the association, including a past president of the association.
