The Coordinating Minister, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, has approved the applications of 8 Nigerian medical trainees for a Statement of Need to be issued to the United States Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.
Director (Information) of the Ministry, Patricia Deworitshe announced this in a statement issued on Thursday, February 22, 2024.
According to the statement, “the trainees and their subspecialty are as follows:
1) Dr. Chidiebere Emmanuel Omaliko – a three-year Fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the One Brooklyn Health/Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center program from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027.
2) Dr. Ejemenare Dawodu – Fellowship in Neonatal–Perinatal Medicine at Duke University Medical Centre, from September 1, 2024- August 30, 2027.
3) Dr. Favour Ekerete Markson – training in Cardiology (cardiovascular diseases) at the Jefferson Einstein Hospital, Philadelphia, from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027.
4) Dr. Olanrewaju Adebusuyi Ogunleye – Fellowship in Radiology (Breast Imaging) at the University of Texas at Houston Breast Imaging from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
5) Dr. Obinna Theophilus Nwankwo – Fellowship in Nephrology, Fellowship program at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, starting in July 2024.
6) Dr. Anderson C. Anuforo – Fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine at the SUNY Upstate Medical University, New York, commencing in July 2024
7) Dr. Ayo Samuel Falade- residency training in Hematology/ Oncology at Mayo Clinic School to Graduate Medical Education (MCSGME), Jacksonville, Florida, from July 1, 2024- June 30, 2027.
8) Dr. Adanna Ikunna Nwaneri – 3 years Fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine from July 2024 – June 2027″.
Deworitshe said, issuance of this Statement depicts the Federal Government’s confirmation to the United States Government of a need in Nigeria for the specialised training being sought by the applicants, thus, paving way for the processing of J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa applications for the trainees.
The trainees are expected to abide by the assurance they made in their individual applications to return home to Nigeria immediately after their training, to serve their home country, for at least 2 years.
The Minister called on the trainees to honour their commitment to return and patriotically serve the country that gave them foundational training and still needs their services.
He noted that as they do well in the US, they should remember that it was the commonwealth of Nigeria that contributed to their being attractive to the US and avoid being simply inputs or economic migrants.
While urging Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora to avoid engineering negative perceptions about the country in foreign lands, the Coordinating Minister assured that the Federal Government was pursuing a policy of Constructive Migration while doing everything possible to improve the working conditions of the existing workforce.
