Lagos, Nigeria: Professor Solomon Kadiri of the University of Ibadan (UI) has cautioned Nigerians against complacency, stressing that COVID-19 has not been fully eradicated.
Kadiri made this assertion while delivering a lecture at the 43rd Convocation Ceremony of 480 distinguished fellows held at the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Lagos.
The theme of the lecture was “A Pandemic, Examination and a Degree.”
He said that though COVID-19 had come, it had not gone away completely.
“The rate of testing may have diminished, but in some other places, testing is still being carried out and cases are being diagnosed.
“However, the virus appears to have been weakened, and we are thankful for that. Nevertheless, we should be watchful for there may be long-term sequelae,” he said.
Sequelae are defined as any complication or condition that results from a pre-existing illness, injury, or other trauma to the body.
Kadiri recalled that COVID-19 broke out in 2019, noting that it was a year that lent itself to the nomenclature.
First appearing in China, it was not until February 2020 that the first case was reported in Nigeria, where the number of reported cases was initially low.
“Worldwide, the numbers exploded, reaching pandemic proportions with the attendant restrictions, isolation and shutdowns.
“Total reported figures in Nigeria up till early 2024 were around 270,000 cases and just over 3,000 deaths, but the extent of testing and detection was not clear,” he said.
Kadiri asserted that the COVID-19 legacy threatened to remain for some time, and this necessitated watchfulness and preparedness.
He stressed that the effects of gene mutations may not manifest until decades later.
At the convocation, the don stated that the College’s Doctor of Medicine programme was available only to medical doctors, being a higher academic degree.
He said that the degree placed the holder in an enhanced position and provided a competitive advantage.
“It follows in the line of the British-type MD, and not the American-type MD qualification, which is the equivalent of our MB BS or MB ChB,” he said.
Kadiri added that the MD programme was inaugurated after the Senate of the College gave its approval in 2021. By mid-2025, it had become firmly established, with 438 holders of various categories.
The objectives of the programme are to provide interested individuals with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to function effectively as teachers, researchers and professionals in the health and health-related industry.
Others are to ensure that the acquisition of teaching and research skills in the practice of medicine is of global best practice.
“We also seek to produce graduates who are capable of applying scientific knowledge and principles to solve human and environmental health problems,” he said.
The don noted that the duration of the programme was stated at four semesters to six semesters, depending on the category.
He added that there were appropriate fees applicable at some stages in the process.
“For the resident doctors, the MD is chronologically ordered to be completed before the examination in the clinical aspects of the fellowship.
“This is partly to ensure the completeness and perhaps supremacy of the fellowship.
“There will also be a few who have not considered the examination processes or the MD degree in the last decade.
If there are, it is time to reflect and consider incorporating standard setting into your assessment process, and register for the MD and encourage others to do the same.
“After a lot of pondering, the practice of standard setting was finally introduced into the college, and it also appears to be taking hold in some other institutions across the country,” he said.
The don gave credit to Prof. Ohwovoriole, who, he said, spearheaded the move to introduce standard setting to the faculty of Internal Medicine, and perhaps the College in 2015.
“Standard setting refers to the process of setting a pass mark and is applicable in different types of examinations,” he said.
The don added that some processes were better suited to certain types of examination, explaining that a pass mark could be set before or after the examination was taken.
He said that the College’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme partly satisfied the longings of fellows who felt there had to be an explicit acknowledgement of the academic component of the fellowship.
“For some, it was irrelevant whether they intended to continue a career in academia or not.
“It was just right to have it considering the effort and amount of work that had gone into that component of training,” Kadiri explained.
