Governor Umo Eno has described as indispensable, the role played by physiotherapists in the wellness of patients, a thing he said often reflects on the quality of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Governor Eno, who was speaking at the 65th Annual Scientific Conference and 66th Annual General Meeting of Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP), on Thursday in Uyo, said Physiotherapy remains an important component of the overall healthcare provision that must be recognised.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, urged NSP to create more awareness on the importance of physiotherapists, insisting that their role was such that needed this awareness.
Pastor Eno therefore, commended the body of physiotherapists in Nigeria for choosing to host its conference and meeting in Akwa Ibom.
He told the NSP that the state had made significant strides in the health sector, particularly with the declaration of State of Emergency on the sector which he added would upscale healthcare services across the state, improve welfare packages for personnel, and reduce the ‘japa’ syndrome.
” With the declaration of State of Emergency on the health sector, which includes improved welfare packages for medical personnel, the ‘japa’ syndrome will reduce”.
The President, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy, Dr. Oyinlola Odusanya, while making a presentation, said this year’s theme- ” Physiopreneurship” was timely, considering that physiotherapy over the years had been thought to be a practice only limited to hospitals.
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He said while that remained important, the evolutions in the healthcare had placed more demand for practitioners to widen their horizons and incorporate entrepreneurship into the practice.
The President, who insisted that physiotherapy could solve problems, restore movement and enhance quality of life, there were other areas he revealed physiotherapists could identify problems and design innovative solutions.
” At it core, physiotherapy is about problem-solving – about restoring movement, function and quality of life. These are entrepreneural attributes. Entrepreneurs identify problems and design innovative solutions”.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the occasion, Elder Godwin Eton, said the theme of the conference – “Transforming Physiotherapy through Entrepreneurship” captured the evolutions in the healthcare sector around the world.
He explained that the practice of physiotherapy had grown and become a sphere where creativity, innovation and enterprise intersect, and therefore, urged physiotherapists to embrace research, technology and community engagement to remain even more relevant.
” The theme of this conference – “Transforming Physiotherapy through Entrepreneurship” captures the essence of modern healthcare. Around the world, the practice of people is evolving beyond traditional treatment. It is becoming a space of creativity, innovation and enterprise”.
In a keynote address, Dr. Ayodeji Famuyide said for society to advance and contribute to development in the health sector, NSP and government must have a framework and an implementation plan.
Dr. Famuyide, who spoke on the theme: ” Strengthening Nigeria’s Physiotherapy Value Chain through Entrepreneurship”, advised that NSP and government should not end at birthing an implementation plan, but must go beyond it, by making inroads towards the realization of this plan..
The annual conference and meeting had presentations of award to Governor Umo Eno, Commissioner, Ministry of Health, Dr. Ekem John, among others.
Dignitaries in attendance included; former Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo; members of the Executive Council of NSP, among others.
