WELCOME ADDRESS BY DR. O.O. KUKOYI AT THE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CONFERENCE/CME CO-SPONSORED BY ACE MEDICARE CLINICS LIMITED NIGERIA AND ARTEMIS HEALTH INSTITUTE, COLUMBIA ASIA, FORTIS INSTITUTE AND METRO HOSPITAL, INDIA ON 16 DECEMBER 2010

Protocol

It is, indeed, another great pleasure and honour to welcome you all to this year’s International Medical Conference/CME organised by Ace Medicare Clinics Limited, Nigeria. The first of its kind was held on 15 December 2009 in this same venue, then organised by AMCL and Artemis Health Institute. To the glory of God, the participating hospitals and countries have increased at this year’s edition. We shall be priviledged to welcome and listen to resource persons from the US, India, and of course Nigeria.

Another development over last year’s activity is in the duration of the conference. This year, as a result of our resolve to broaden the content and context of the lectures, and the optimism of our resource persons to readily share their knowledge, the conference will span over 2 days.

I wish to appreciate and thank the Chairman of this occasion, Dr. L.I.D. Kufeji, President of the National Postgraduate College of Nigeria who, right from the first day I invited him to this activity has been very supportive and encouraging. We are blessed to have a personality of your immense intellectual quality and calibre to direct the affairs of today. I am aware of your very busy schedule and we can only ask and pray that the Almighty God will honour and reward you for identifying with our cause and objective.

 I also recognise the immense support and encouragement received from the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. A.A. Ibrahim, who is unavoidably absent at this gathering due to pressing official duties. He is ably represented by the Deputy Registrar in charge of Registration,  Dr. Gbenro Victor, another very dear, helpful and hardworking officer of Council. Let me seize this opportunity to congratulate Council on the laudable achievement recorded recently at the commissioning of the Medical Council House, a project that had been in the pipeline for a long time, but brought to completion by the sheer determination and efforts of the current officers of the Council. I was there at the ceremony and I felt very proud as a Nigerian doctor. I equally congratulate Council for the bold and unequivocal statement on renewal of practising licences based on evidence of acquisition of CME points. This is the best way of guaranteeing continuous update of doctors’ knowledge. Technology is placing unique requirements on people in all aspects of human endeavour, medicine inclusive, compelling a sharp focus on training and education. One of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge. The “half-life of knowledge” is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete. Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago. The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months according to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD). This need for update of knowledge cannot be over-emphasised in the medical profession that deals with life, and which witnesses tremendous and interesting changes every time. Today’s problem may not be adequately and properly solved with yesterday’s knowledge. As part of our commitment and contribution to capacity building of Nigerian doctors, and in aligning with the objective of MDCN, Ace Medicare Clinics Limited promises to continue to provide the platform for the delivery of the CME lectures and fully sponsor these, that is offering CMEs free. Already, we have applied formally to the medical education department of the MDCN, and are awaiting the CPD accreditation committee’s visit for necessary inspection, and hopefully approval.

The guest of honour today needs no introduction to the medical community in Nigeria. He has been an embodiment of intuition, energy, intellect and versatility. He is a man that is celebrated all over the world, not just for his medical feats but also his foray into the field of appropriate and affordable medical bio-technology. It is at his credit and collaboration that a biomedical technology course is being introduced at the Bells University of Technology. He has received numerous international accolades and awards, and is indeed a pride to us Nigerian doctors. We are blessed to have you around, and I must specially thank you for your readiness and willingness to be part of today’s programme without any hesitation.

In any gathering of Nigerian doctors, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association is our No 1 personality. We have the blessing of our President, Dr. Omede Idris, who until a few days ago had made concrete plans to be here in person. However, for a man of his diverse responsibilities, he was summoned to represent NMA interest at an important meeting in Abuja today. He has graciously asked our VP2, a good friend of the house, to represent our national body here. We appreciate the recognition given to the objective of this conference and we pledge our continued loyalty and support to the NMA both at the national and State levels. On this note, I also thank and appreciate the solidarity and support received from the Chairman of NMA, Ogun State Dr. Alayaki, and all officers and members of the State branch. Other professional bodies present here, the Association of General and Private medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), National and State, and the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) are also recognised and appreciated.
I cannot but appreciate all our resource persons at this conference. We are blessed with such an array of experts in various fields of medicine from diverse countries as India, USA and Nigeria. It is truly international. Let me appreciate and thank the large contingent from India made up of:
Dr. Rashmi Taneja, Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon
Dr. Harsha Hegde, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
Dr. Deep Goel, Consultant Minimal Invasive, Bariatric & GI Onco Surgeon
Dr. Arun Saroha, Consultant Neurosurgeon and Trauma Specialist
Dr. Baldev Singh, Consultant Cardio-thoracic surgeon
Dr. IPS Oberoi, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
We also have
Mr. Abhik Moitra, President of High Beam Global
Mr. Vivek Sawhney, Group Team Leader from Artemis
I was priviledged last month to visit the hospitals in India where most of our resources work: Artemis, Columbia Asia, Fortis and Metro. I was fascinated by the high level of expertise and technology in these institutions. The ultimate goal and vision of AMCL is to glocalise (that is make available locally the global processes) the facilities and services in these institutions.

From the US, we are priviledged to have
Dr. Wole Ajagbe, Professor of oral pathology
Dr. Akintunde Oluwayemisi, Paediatrician

From the home front, we are pleased to have:
Dr. Efunbo Dosekun, a well-sought after consultant paediatrician
Dr. Toyin Lawal, oral pathologist
Dr. Tinuade Ogunlesi, consultant paediatrician
Dr. Rasaaq Oyesegun, consultant radiotherapist and oncologist

We will also have the chance to listen to Registrar, Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Nigeria on “the place of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical and dental health”

Obviously, we couldn’t have asked for a richer mixture of experts than this, and this tells us that we have serious business before us in the next 2 days!

Our thanks go the CMDs/CEOs of public and private health institutions too numerous to mention but who are all dear to our hearts. Many of them have become our “family members”. We are humbled by the robust response and enthusiasm shown by doctors from various levels of care, primary, secondary and tertiary and across many States of the country. It is an indication of our common quest and desire for knowledge development and capacity building.

It has always been a divine blessing that our International Conferences take place at this citadel of learning, coming just after the fulfilling time of restoration of Shiloh. We are greatly indebted to the Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo, a man of tremendous vision and anointing, the VC and the community of Covenant University for agreeing to play host at this all-important intellectual activity. There can be no better place to cerebrate and brainstorm than a serene and beautiful environment like this community. Pastor Oyedepo greatly facilitated our use of this venue. Medicare Clinics is fondly indebted to the VC, a woman of integrity, substance and carriage, with an unusual zeal and uncommon energy and infective enthusiasm. We acknowledge and appreciate the support and assistance the CU has always accorded us, and most especially the logistic and moral support at this conference, even at very short notice. God will surely honour and elevate her

The members of staff of Medicare Clinics have been wonderful at every stage of the planning and execution of this conference.

Deep appreciations to my wife and children who have shared tremendous thoughts and suggestions during the planning stages

Thank you all and God bless.

O.O. Kukoyi
16 December 2010