Former FUHSO VC Raises Alarm Over Antibiotics Abuse in Africa, Calls for Usage Protocols As FUHSO Matriculates Over 1,300 New Students

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State, Professor Chukwubuike Aghaji, has raised concern over the widespread abuse of antibiotics in Africa, calling for the development of clear protocols to guide their use.

Professor Aghaji made the call while delivering a guest lecture at the combined 5th and 6th matriculation ceremony of new students of FUHSO on Tuesday.

He urged the university to take the lead in championing antibiotic usage protocols across the continent by establishing a department dedicated to monitoring emerging medicines in Nigeria.

“There is abuse of antibiotics in Africa. We are not using antibiotics properly. FUHSO should be in the vanguard of providing protocols for antibiotic usage,” he said.

According to him, the university should develop continent-wide guidelines for antibiotic use and set up a department to monitor emerging medicines. He stressed the need to introduce emerging medicines into various departments in order to address new and evolving health challenges.

Professor Aghaji, whose lecture was titled “Transforming FUHSO into a Foremost University in Africa,” said the institution must prioritize manpower development and high-quality research.

He also emphasized that the university should be ICT-driven, with access to computers for students to enhance learning and research capacity.

He further charged the university to set and sustain high standards of excellence, noting that a strong institutional tradition, once established, would be difficult to erode.

“Your curriculum should be first class and globally competitive. The university should review the curricula of all departments and align them with current global standards,” he said, adding that clear admission cut-off marks and proper institutional records should also be established.

Meanwhile, the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), held its combined 5th and 6th matriculation ceremony for 1,321 newly admitted students into its various academic programmes for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 sessions.

Speaking at the event held at the university’s Otada campus in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Francis Uba, congratulated the students on their admission and urged them to work hard and embrace discipline in order to excel academically.

Providing a breakdown of the admissions, Professor Uba said 259 students were admitted into the Faculty of Applied Sciences, 644 into the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, 105 into the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and 313 into the Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology.

He noted that the university had navigated through a difficult period marked by strained relationships, damaged reputation, stagnated enrollment, and widespread doubt, but has now embraced a unified vision anchored on harmony of purpose, motive, and action.

According to him, “This alignment serves as the engine that transforms potential into progress, ideas into impactful realities, and vision into lived experience.”

He explained that with clarity of purpose, the institution has regained trust and credibility, as its renewed commitment is now being recognized by students and parents.

“A university that operates in alignment transcends stagnation. Challenges such as low enrollment, public skepticism, and past non-performance can be reframed as opportunities for renewal,” he said.

Professor Uba charged faculty and staff to be worthy role models, noting that teaching, research, and administrative practices must reflect the university’s renewed commitment to quality and integrity.

The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that before he assumed office, the university had just over 500 students, but within six months, the student population has grown to about 2,200, with 1,642 fresh students admitted and several new programmes introduced.

He added that plans are underway to introduce an additional 22 academic programmes within the next quarter of the coming year.

He concluded by urging the newly matriculated students to cultivate good study habits, immerse themselves in learning, and strive for academic excellence.