Health
Adopt PPPs for burn care, reconstructive surgery, UI VC urges surgeons
By Ademola Adegbite
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof Kayode Adebowale, on Thursday, called on members of the Nigerian Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons as well as the Nigerian Burn Injuries Society to focus on forging stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Through this, he said, the country would build sustainable systems that are resilient and responsive to the needs of all Nigerians.
He gave this advice during the 31st NAPRAS/19th NBIS Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, held at the International Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Adebowale, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof Juwon Arotiba, further admonished them to take the campaign for burn prevention and comprehensive care beyond the hospital environment.
The VC said, “I encourage you to take the campaign for burn prevention and comprehensive care beyond the hospital environment. We must go to the people, to our communities, to educate them on prevention, early presentation, and the availability of care.
“The public awareness walk and other community engagement activities planned for this conference are commendable steps in this direction.
“As you deliberate, I urge you to focus on forging stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors, between international organisations and local institutions, and between different surgical specialties. It is through these collaborations that we will build sustainable systems that are resilient and responsive to the needs of all Nigerians,
especially the most vulnerable children who depend on our expertise,” he urged.
In her speech, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, also called for an evidence-based approach to burn care and reconstructive surgery to improve patient outcomes and restore the dignity and quality of life of victims.
Ajetunmobi said plastic and reconstructive surgery should not be viewed merely from the perspective of aesthetics, stressing that it was critical to restoring function, independence, dignity and quality of life.
She said quality improvement in specialist care required that treatment be safe, effective, timely, equitable, patient-centred and evidence-based.
“The government’s creation of the Directorate of Tertiary Health Care was aimed at strengthening the relationship between the Ministry of Health and tertiary institutions and ensuring that research, expertise and innovation could inform policy and service delivery.
“The knowledge that we are going to generate will be useful in seeking a health system where evidence, policy and clinical practice continuously inform one another,” she said.
She urged specialists, researchers and tertiary institutions to ensure that knowledge generated at the conference translated into clinical protocols, training, referral pathways, quality improvement initiatives, prevention strategies and health policies.
The commissioner also stressed the need for a multidisciplinary approach to reconstructive care involving surgeons, physicians, paediatricians, anaesthetists, nurses, nutritionists, psychologists and physiotherapists.
On paediatric burns, she said children were particularly vulnerable to complications including infections, scarring, contractures, disability and psychological trauma.
She, therefore, called for greater emphasis on prevention by identifying hazards in homes, schools and communities, while strengthening infection prevention and control, patient safety, antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance.
Ajetunmobi said primary healthcare workers must be able to recognise conditions requiring specialist attention and facilitate timely referrals, while secondary facilities should stabilise patients and refer appropriately to tertiary centres.
In his welcome address, the NAPRAS President, Prof Ifeanyichukwu Onah, said, “We are pleased that our association continues to strengthen collaborations beyond our immediate borders. We are not working in isolation.
“Our partnerships with international organizations, including BFIRST, ASPS and ICOPLAST, have created valuable opportunities for fellowship training, academic exchange, and international collaboration.”
Also in his welcome address, the NBIS President, Dr Innih Kadiri, congratulated all their members, who successfully passed the last two postgraduate fellowship examinations.
He said, “Their success is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and commitment to professional development. We are proud of them and look forward to their continued contributions to the growth of burn care and reconstructive surgery in Nigeria.”
Kadiri said the conference theme on paediatric burn care, with emphasis on burn wound infection, reflected two critical challenges in burn management.
He said children remained among the most vulnerable victims of burn injuries, while wound infections continued to contribute significantly to morbidity, mortality and poor outcomes.
The president explained that the conference provided an opportunity for professionals to exchange knowledge and discuss innovative approaches to addressing challenges associated with burn injuries and reconstructive surgery.
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