A Professor at the Department of Radiation Biology, Radiotherapy and Radiodiagnosis, University of Lagos, Kofoworola Oluwatoyin Soyebi has called on government at all levels to ensure the provision of adequate facilities in hospitals as a major step to mitigate brain drain among medical professionals, particularly Radiologists.
She made the call on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, while delivering the 10th Inaugural Lecture of the institution in the 2023/2024 academic session. The lecture titled: Bearing the Torch Aloft: The Trials and Triumphs of a Radiologist, was delivered at the J.F. Ade. Ajayi Auditorium.
The event which attracted family, colleagues, friends, and well-wishers of Professor Soyebi, brought to the front burner the importance of Radiology as a needed service by every specialty in Medicine.
According to her, “Radiology is not a game of Spotting the Difference by an individual with a pencil in hand and paper bearing two sets of pictures trying to figure out and mark the difference between them. Rather, Radiology is a medical specialty that uses imaging technology to diagnose and treat diseases”.
Drawing from her expertise as a Consultant Radiologist, Professor Soyebi highlighted the challenges Radiology practices face in Nigeria and listed them to include inadequate infrastructure, limited access to modern equipment, and insufficient training opportunities.
Pointing out the impending wave of retiring practitioners and the shortage of incoming talent, Professor Soyebi averred that the burden on existing radiologists has intensified.
Her words “There is an insufficient number of radiologists graduating in medical schools to meet the demand exacerbated by the recruitment crisis. The resultant strain on the workforce will lead to burnout and overwork among the remaining physicians, so the Nigerian government needs urgent strategic solutions to bridge this gap”.
To alleviate these challenges, Professor Soyebi called on the government to increase support, improve funding for healthcare facilities, and enhance educational programs to empower radiologists and enhance their capabilities for more impactful services to their community.
While giving an account of her research efforts and accomplishments following her foray into the field of Radiology, Professor Soyebi described herself as “one of the lucky few who by providence early in her career had opportunities to travel to more advanced places to receive training in capacity building”.
She noted that these opportunities empowered her to impact and contribute her quota in delivering trainings, conducting clinical research, as well as benefiting from collaborative opportunities and funding to actualize her desires.
CITATION
Born on August 1, 1958, in Jos, Plateau State to John Oluremi Adetola and Esther Sola Adetola, the native of Ikenne, Ogun State started her primary education at the Township School, Jos. After her family moved to Lagos, Professor Soyebi attended Methodist School, Yaba; Mayflower School, Ikenne, International School, Ibadan and Federal Government College Odogbolu. Ogun State.
She gained admission into the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1977, where she earned a B.S C in Health Sciences in 1981 and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) in 1984. She continued at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital for her Housemanship before the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme at the Military Cantonment’s Medical Reception Station in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
Upon completion of her NYSC programme, Professor Soyebi who also holds a Masters Degree in Anatomy from the University of Lagos (2008) returned to Lagos to work with Dr. Ogunnaike at a private clinic in Marina, Lagos for two years.
She later joined Osuntuyi Medical Centre, Obanikoro, Lagos. It was while at Osuntuyi Medical Centre, that Radiography became an interest for her.
She joined the services of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital in February 1997, with the sole aim of training and practicing Radiology, and helping increase the abysmally small number of Radiologists in Nigeria. She rose through the ranks to become Professor of Radiology and Consultant Radiologist on October 1, 2021.
Professor Soyebi whose areas of sub-specialization include Ultrasonography, Women, and Paediatric Radiology, has presented numerous papers at national and international conferences and has supervised the Dissertations of 32 Radiologists and 6 Radiography students.
An active member of many national and global professional bodies within her area of specialty, the renowned Radiology Professor is widely published both locally and internationally with thirty-four (34) peer-reviewed published articles and a fifty-seven (57)-paged chapter on Obstetric Ultrasonography to an ultrasound textbook.
Professor Soyebi is blessed with children and a grandchild.