Plateau State Government Donates Dental Chairs to Unijos

UNIVERSITY OF JOS, JOS NIGERIA

(OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR)

INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS & PROTOCOL DIVISION

PRESS RELEASE

PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT DONATES DENTAL CHAIRS TO UNIJOS COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Plateau State Government has acquired and donated Dental Chairs worth almost 50 million Naira to the University of Jos for use by the University’s Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Lamingo Campus. This is to enable the University’s Dentistry programme secure Full Accreditation status during the next round of Accreditation exercises by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as well as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

Handing over the newly installed thirteen (13) Dental Chairs and accessories to the Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos at the College premises, Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) Permanent Site, Lamingo, Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang described the presentation of the state-of-the-art Dental facilities to the University as a priority due to the importance of training the manpower needed to service the critical Health Sector in the State.

According to the Governor, although the University of Jos and the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) are Federal establishments, they are serving Plateau people, therefore, whatever it takes to deliver qualitative Health services to the citizens will be vigorously pursued by his Administration.

While commending both Management and Staff of UNIJOS for working tirelessly to make the donation a reality, Governor Mutfwang explained that his Administration is having a robust collaboration with Heads of Federal Parastatals in the State to ensure that whatever is due to Plateau people is given to them. The Governor believes provision of Dental Services are of such importance that the State Government is making efforts to establish at least three Dental facilities across the State’s three Senatorial Districts, calling for the training of more globally competitive Dental Surgeons by the University of Jos so that they can serve Plateau State and Nigeria at large. 

While receiving the equipment on behalf of the University, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya said, the donation made by Governor Mutfwang has renewed hope that the University’s current set of Dental Students will graduate as at when due since the Dental Chairs are part of major requirements for both Professional and Academic Accreditation of the Dentistry Programme in the College of Health Sciences.

The Vice-Chancellor who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Rahila Gowon, appreciated Governor Mutfwang for swiftly responding to the request to assist the University during its moment of need, and commended the Governor for his magnanimity being himself a Distinguished Alumnus of Unijos. Professor Ishaya promised that the facilities will be efficiently put to use and properly maintained to enable them serve current and future generations of Dental Surgeons produced by the University.

Also Speaking, Chief Medical Director (CMD), Jos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Pokop Bupwatda, described the donation as timely, noting that the University’s Dentistry programme will now rank as one of the most coveted in Nigeria thereby saving the careers of many Dental professionals who might have otherwise sought to practice elsewhere. According to the CMD, the facilities will not only serve to train the Dental Students in the College of Health Sciences, but also patients within and outside Plateau State, including Taraba, Bauchi and other neighbouring States who seek Dental medical care in the Hospital.

Earlier, Provost, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Professor Caleb Mpyet, expressed delight that the Governor’s gesture had rescued the College from a very expensive challenge that would have taken a long time for the University to address. Professor Mpyet said, with the installation of the Dental Chairs, the Dentistry programme can now fully deliver on its mandate and even provide medical services to Dental patients unhindered.

The provision of Dental Chairs is considered as one of the major requirements for running a Dentistry Programme in any University as approved by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. With the intervention by Governor Mutfwang, University of Jos now has a total of 19 Dental Chairs at the institution’s Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Lamingo Campus. The Dental Chairs are equipped with features such as Controllers, Instrument Trays, Head Lamps, Light, Intra-Cameras that enable patients to see the procedure being carried out in real time, among other accessories. 

Highpoint of the occasion was a tour of the Dental Wards where the new facilities were installed while a demonstration was carried out showing how the equipment will be utilized.

Signed

Abdullahi Abdullahi

Senior Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications)