Novena University/Asaba Specialist Hospital gets accreditation for Medicine

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has accredited Medicine for Novena University/Asaba Specialist Hospital, Delta State.

Director of Education at Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. Nnaemeka Nwakamma, disclosed this on behalf of the Registrar of the Council, Dr Fatimah Kyari.

Nwakamma represented the registrar during the recent advisory and clinical accreditation visit to Novena University/Asaba Specialist Hospital.

This is contained in a statement by the university obtained on Saturday.

By this accreditation, it noted that graduates of Novena University would be acceptable all over the world to practise medicine upon meeting the internal requirements of each country.

This success, according to Nnaemeka, has made Novena University one of the few universities across Nigeria to get Medicine accreditation in the very first attempt.

He said that the success was phenomenal being an exercise that was professionally handled to ensure the seriousness and preparedness of the Novena/ASH team to produce medical doctors for the world.

The MDCN team commended the partnership between Novena University and the Delta State Government (Asaba Specialist Hospital), for the excellent performance in the accreditation and verification of the university’s facilities, faculty, and overall preparedness to run the Novena University College of Medical and Health Sciences’ programmes.

The feat, Nnaemeka said, was achieved through the commitment, drive and resilience of Prof Ofili Charles, Provost of the College of Medical and Health Sciences, Novena University, and Dr. P. A. Ighosewe, Chief Medical Director, Asaba Specialist Hospital as well as the prompt intervention of Dr Joseph Onojaeme, the Commissioner for Health, Delta State.

“The commissioner’s belief in the PPP policy of the Delta State Government and his matching order to the combined team of Asaba Specialist Hospital/Novena University to get the results without failing paved the way for this phenomenal success,” he stated.

He further explained that the context of this success was based on the non-compromising insistence of the Council that standards must be met at all costs. This, he added, was the reason why Nigeria has continued to supply the world with qualified medical doctors.

Nnaemeka congratulated Novena University for this milestone achievement.

He said the management of Novena University and Asaba Specialist Hospital could roll out the drums of celebrations for a successful accreditation result.

This pronouncement was greeted with great relief and joy by the combined team of management of Novena University and Asaba Specialist Hospital, who worked tirelessly and prayed for the positive outcome of the accreditation exercise.

Given the philosophy of excellence preached in Novena University and the frantic preparations that were put in place in readiness for the accreditation visit, the positive outcome of the exercise follows the natural order that “hard work pays.”

In his response, Vice-Chancellor of Novena University, Professor Godwin Nduka, expressed his profound gratitude to MDCN, Dr. Nwakamma and members of his team who were drawn from universities and related professional bodies across Nigeria for their diligence and thoroughness in the performance of their responsibilities to the medical profession and the larger Nigerian society.

He had special commendations for Prof. Ofili, Provost of the College of Medicine, Novena University; and Dr. P. A. Ighosewe, the CMD of Asaba Specialist Hospital, for their expertise, professionalism, and organisational abilities in guiding this winning team to the end of this success story.

He went on to salute the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Novena University, Chuks Ochonogor, for his foresight, patronage, and exceptional leadership qualities that resulted in this epochal accreditation success for Novena University College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

He also thanked Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Oborevwori, and his predecessor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who, as governor and a medical doctor, saw to it that this fruitful marriage between Novena University and the Delta State Government was contracted.

The Vice Chancellor’s expression of joy was equalled, if not surpassed, by the ecstatic and pulsating feelings of excitement that pervaded the Novena University atmospheric space when news of the successful accreditation filtered onto the campus on April 25, 2024.

This was especially so for the medical students who were understandably concerned and anxious about the outcome of the accreditation, despite their profound confidence in the capacity and capability of Novena University and their handlers.

“Now, they can go about their dreams of qualifying as medical doctors with renewed vigour and redoubtable reassurance that they have chosen a university that will deliver their dreams of becoming medical doctors of international reputation in no distant time from now,” the statement added.