HE SPOKE WITH THE PRESS ABOUT THE UPCOMING 60TH ANNIVERSARY AND HEALTH WEEK.

A.N: Can we meet you sir?
B.A: Nice to meet you…I am Bolu Aderounmu, the UIMSA President and a final year medical student at the University of Ibadan.

A.N: When is the proposed date for the 60th Anniversary and Health Week?
B.A: At the Elective Council and Central Health Week Planning Committee meeting, we decided to make it May 15th to May 23rd in order to allow for our 200 level members to participate as they would soon be going on a long break. The 2K22 class will also be resuming then, so we will use that as an avenue to welcome them into the Association. We need time as well to prepare adequately.

A.N: Are there any special events or programs that would take this year?
B.A: Yes, we will be having a Scientific Conference which I don’t think has held in recent years. We will also be having our first Inter-class Debate Competition, which will allow for socialization. A mini-lympics will also be organized in different sports: basketball, volleyball and so on.

A.N: Are there plans on ground to make this year’s events more intriguing and engaging?
B.A: Yes. We are working tirelessly to make this happen. There is a diversity of events to encourage attendance at all levels. We also appeal to UIMSA members to support in any way they can as funding will go a long way in making this year’s events great.

A.N: Can you please elaborate more on the theme for this year’s Health Week?
B.A: We decided to pick ‘HEALTHCARE REBRANDING; POLICIES AND PERSONNEL’ as the theme. We realized that the current health system in this country is quite poor and falls short of global standard. As medical students, we need to discuss on how to contribute our own quota.

A.N: What is the progress so far with the plans?
B.A: We have been trying to fulfill our plans and goals in this tenure…from planning events like the Research Clinic to having a clean financial record. Across all ends, we have been working to make sure our members are doing well. As part of our year plan, we have been building up to the 60th Anniversary and Health Week.

A.N: About sponsorships, are we getting any positive responses?
B.A: Funding is a major issue. Gone are those days when sponsorship came on a platter of gold, even for Student Associations. We have a fund raising committee which is headed by the Financial Secretary and the Treasurer. We have been soliciting for funds from Alumni members, companies and UIMSA members as well. Senators have been given letters for fund raising.

A.N: Finally, what’s your expectation for this year’s 60th Anniversary and Health Week?
B.A: Well, I hope this year’s Health Week serves as a stepping stone for our members and a role model and inspiration to other Medical Associations. I forgot to mention…we will also be having an Alumni hangout and reunion, where our members can interact with past UIMSAITES. For me, this will be a great highlight because our members will get one-on-one mentorship with the Alumni.

A.N: Thank you very much Mr President for your time. We hope that all the plans on ground are realized.
B.A: Thank you Clinical Press for this opportunity. It’s a great thing that you are doing. It’s always a good narrative when it comes from the Press. You deserve an applause for that.

This interview was conducted by Anyam Ngusha.