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OSN Institutes Prize For Outstanding Ophthalmology Students

As part of its vision to promote excellence in the practice of Ophthalmology in Nigeria, the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) has instituted a N1million Prize for the Best Graduating Student in the specialisation. 
Receiving a delegation of OSN last Tuesday, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Anthony Ibe, who stood in for the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ndowa Lale, commended the College of Health Sciences and the professional body for endowing the Prize in the University. “We thank you for thinking in this direction and wish to assure you that the prize would be utilised for the purpose for which it was instituted. We are certain that your kind gesture would go a long way in encouraging the students to strive for academic and professional excellence. 
“This endowment would enable us catch students young and expose them to the field of Ophthalmology. When I got my Professorship in Electrical Engineering, I decided to celebrate it by endowing a Prize for the Best Graduating Student in Power Systems Engineering for10 years. The rule is that you must pay upfront; I did so and the Prize is still running today. My endowment has helped in encouraging students to strive for academic and professional excellence. So I believe this latest Prize would go a long way in catching them young to enrich the critical Ophthalmology profession,” he stated.


In his response, President of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, Professor Sebastian Nwosu, thanked the authorities of the University for the warm reception accorded his delegation. “We are also here to inform you that we are holding our National Conference and 41stAnnual General Meeting here in Port Harcourt and this is the second time we would be meeting in Port Harcourt since the inception of our Society,” he said. 
According to Professor Nwosu, the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria is both an academic and professional body that caters for the interest of its members and their professional development. 


“A university as big as this deserves to have a thriving Department of Ophthalmology and that is why we decided to come here and endow a Prize. We are very proud of the Ophthalmology service and academic activities going on at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. We, however, regret to note that the Ophthalmology programme is still struggling to attain full Departmental status in the University of Port Harcourt. Our appeal is that the specialisation should be accorded full Departmental status in the University as soon as possible. Our endowment of a N1 million Prize is meant to catch students young to enable us pass on the baton to the next generation,” the President said.
In her remarks, Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Professor Christie Mato, expressed gratitude to the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria for the endowment. “Part of the job of an Ophthalmologist is to give light to the world. We want to thank the Society on behalf of the College of Health Sciences and the University for instituting such an important Prize. I understand what it means for a professional body to bring out this kind of money at this time when things are very difficult. We also wish to express gratitude to the University Management for supporting the College,” Mato stated. 


The Provost also revealed that the College of Health Sciences was working hard to establish a Department of Ophthalmology, disclosing that the documents would soon be tabled before the Senate Committee on Academic Policies and Programmes (SCAPP) for consideration and approval.
Also present were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi, Registrar, Mrs. Dorcas Otto and University Librarian, Dr. Susan Umeozor. Other members of the delegation were the Treasurer, Dr. Chinyere Pedro-Egbe, Acting Head of Department of Ophthalmology at the UPTH, Dr. Sotonibi Cookey and Public Relations Officer of OSN, Dr. Jeff Ajewole.

 

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