2 hours ago
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By Blessing Ibegbu
The Vice-Chancellor of Bingham University, Prof. Haruna Ayuba, has called for stronger international collaboration to improve surgical care and reduce inequalities in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Ayuba made the call at the university’s 15th Inaugural Lecture on Tuesday in Karu, Nasarawa State.
The lecture, titled “General Surgery and Trauma in a Changing World: Advancing Service, Scholarship and Innovation Across Two Continents”, was delivered by Prof. Edwin Oseni-Momodu, a Professor of General Surgery and Trauma in the university’s Department of Surgery.
Ayuba said international partnerships, sustained investment and innovation were essential to addressing challenges such as delayed hospital presentation, inadequate diagnostic and surgical resources, and weak emergency referral systems.
He stressed the need to move from a healthcare system heavily dependent on individual doctors to one supported by strong institutions, functional trauma networks and reliable emergency response mechanisms.
According to him, changing disease patterns, unequal access to healthcare and emerging technologies are reshaping surgical needs globally, making research, interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange increasingly important.
He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to research that translates academic knowledge into practical benefits for society.
In his lecture, Oseni-Momodu said sustainable improvements in surgical outcomes required more than medical expertise and technological advancement, stressing the need for healthcare institutions capable of delivering safe, timely and accessible treatment.
He said preventable deaths could be reduced through stronger trauma systems, improved emergency referrals, expanded surgical capacity in district and rural hospitals, locally relevant research and greater attention to patient safety.
Reflecting on his professional experience, the professor said six years of specialist surgical training in Germany had strengthened his precision, discipline and clinical judgement, while decades of practice in Nigeria had taught him adaptability and resourcefulness.
He said the experience reinforced his conviction that surgical excellence must be supported by effective healthcare systems rather than depend on the ingenuity and sacrifices of individual practitioners.
“Nigeria’s future surgical care must be built around institutions, structures and processes that enable good outcomes consistently, regardless of the individual doctor attending to a patient,” he said.
Oseni-Momodu called for stronger district-level surgical services, noting that rural and district hospitals were often the first points of contact for patients experiencing life-threatening emergencies.
He said healthcare workers in such facilities should be equipped to recognise emergencies, initiate resuscitation, perform essential life-saving procedures within their competence and arrange prompt referrals for specialised care.
The professor cautioned that sophisticated equipment could not replace clinical judgement, disciplined assessment and timely intervention.
He, however, acknowledged advances in diagnostic imaging, critical care, minimally invasive surgery and other medical technologies.
Oseni-Momodu said modern surgeons must combine clinical practice with teaching, research, mentorship, advocacy, institutional leadership and participation in healthcare policy.
“The operating theatre became a classroom, ward rounds became opportunities for mentorship, and difficult clinical cases became potential subjects for research and academic inquiry,” he said.
He identified discipline, sound judgement, compassion, teamwork, integrity, lifelong learning and investment in younger professionals as important lessons from his career.
He added that a surgeon’s contribution should be measured not only by the number or complexity of operations performed, but also by the lives improved, professionals mentored and institutions strengthened.
“The true measure of surgical success is not what we accomplish individually, but the lives improved through the institutions, values, and systems we leave behind,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Dorcas Jonah
English (US) ·