Olabisi Onabanjo University wins first global health course in West Africa

Olabisi Onabanjo University has come first in the maiden edition of the Global Health Course hosted by the Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos. The programme which was aimed at identifying and proffering solutions to problems associated with health care delivery in Nigeria, was attended by students and experts in the health sector who presented papers on different topics.

As things stand, it is evident that Africa faces many health challenges, the highest burden being on Nigeria as the most populous African country, likewise one of the affected countries. Strengthening the health sector and improving overall health status of the population are among the most important development challenges in Nigeria. But through the Global Health Course and Global Health Focus coordinated with AB Global Health Initiative, the programme is aimed at improving human resources for health.

The Global Health Course was a three-day training programme, which was the first in West Africa.  The host school was Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria. The course featured about a hundred participants which included doctors, pharmacists, health students from various universities in Africa and was directed by Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno-III (MD, MPH, MSc, PhD).

We were enlightened on what Global Health is, the areas of study, research and practice that places priority on improving health and achieving health equity worldwide, how we can improve the delivery of evidence based, cost effective and efficient health care interventions using innovative approaches, operational research and career opportunities in Global Health.

Participants were grouped and topics were balloted for the Global Health Case Competition which was won by the group with a presentation entitled: “Illegal Drugs.” After competitive presentations, the best speaker prize went to Adeyemo Olusola, a final year medical student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Mr. Yemaren Femi A. Fasmu of the United Nations spoke about navigating career abroad, also Mr. Joel Nyatse of the Nigerian Stock Exchange delivered a soft skill lecture on business startup and investments.

Lectures were also given by Don on: Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY); Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY); Mortality rate and Cost Effectiveness, which was concluded with an exercise on Cost Effectiveness of Global Health Programmes (which gave the participants quite tough time).

The Provost  of the Lagos State University College of Medicine, Prof. Babatunde Sholagberu, also encouraged the participants about the need to take advantage of the rare opportunity Global Health Course offers, laying emphasis on the fact it a platform that gives an edge over our contemporaries. He also advised on the needs to present papers at conferences as early as possible and not to allow any form of limitation whatsoever.

Speaking on his experience, one of the participants, Adebowale Olamide from Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, said he realised there were more things to learn outside medical school.

“As a future medical doctor from Olabisi Onabanjo University, the course was an enlightening experience. I came to realise that there are more things to learn outside medical school and also learned the value of research, that it is important to start at a young age to provide evidence to policy and practise,” Olamide said.

Now, after the programme, the learners are now active in developing researches to fulfill this dreams.

• Usman is a medical student of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU).