The University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo State, has inducted 32 pioneer graduates of its Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) programme, marking a major step forward for rehabilitation education and professional workforce development in Nigeria.
According to The Guardian Nigeria, the ceremony positioned UNIMED as the first state university in Nigeria to run a Prosthetics and Orthotics programme, a development expected to help reduce dependence on foreign-trained specialists and expand local capacity for mobility and rehabilitation services. The induction was held at the Oladipo Akinkugbe Hall, Laje Campus.
For the prosthetics and orthotics community across Africa, this is more than a university milestone. It is a signal that rehabilitation systems on the continent are gradually investing in local professional training, rather than relying only on imported devices, visiting missions or overseas education pathways.
Nigeria has a large and growing need for prosthetic, orthotic and assistive technology services. Limb loss, trauma, diabetes, stroke, congenital conditions, paediatric mobility needs and other disabling conditions all require trained rehabilitation professionals who can assess, prescribe, fabricate, fit and follow up assistive devices.
UNIMED’s new graduates therefore enter the profession at a critical time. Their work will not only involve making or fitting devices. It will involve restoring mobility, supporting independence, improving participation and helping patients regain confidence in daily life.
The Dean of the Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation, Prof. Owolawi, described the induction as a major achievement for both the university and the healthcare sector. He noted that the graduates had been equipped with the knowledge and practical skills required to restore mobility, confidence and dignity to people living with limb loss and mobility challenges.
One of the most important themes from the ceremony was the need to reduce dependency on foreign mobility solutions and foreign-trained professionals. Nigeria needs its own pipeline of prosthetists and orthotists who understand local clinical realities, patient lifestyles, cultural expectations, health-system constraints and cost-sensitive service delivery.
Local P&O education can support:
For IMEA CPO, this is a key regional lesson. Sustainable rehabilitation access depends on local people being trained to deliver, adapt and maintain services within their own health systems.
During the ceremony, UNIMED Vice Chancellor Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Patrick Osho, urged the inductees to remain committed to professionalism and ethical practice. She emphasised that prosthetics and orthotics requires competence, integrity and empathy because the profession is fundamentally rooted in service and restoration.
That message is especially important for young P&O professionals. A prosthesis or orthosis is not simply a product. It is a clinical intervention that affects mobility, skin health, posture, confidence, employment, school participation and social inclusion.
Every patient interaction requires careful assessment, technical accuracy and human understanding.
The Registrar of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria (MRTB), Prof. Rufai Yusuf Ahmad, commended UNIMED for creating a platform where medical rehabilitation programmes can thrive together. He said the development would significantly strengthen healthcare delivery across the country.
This institutional support matters because P&O education must be connected to regulation, professional standards and national workforce planning. As more Nigerian universities develop rehabilitation programmes, alignment with regulatory bodies will be essential for protecting patients and strengthening the profession.
Delivering the induction lecture, Dr Kingsley Onwukamuche encouraged the new professionals to uphold integrity, compassion and excellence. He also urged them to become advocates for inclusive healthcare policies and to use their training to address critical gaps in Nigeria’s rehabilitation system.
This is a powerful message for emerging CPOs across Africa. The profession must not be limited to clinic rooms and workshops. Prosthetists and orthotists also have a role in policy, public awareness, disability inclusion, assistive technology access and health-system development.
UNIMED’s induction of 32 pioneer Prosthetics and Orthotics graduates is an important moment for Nigeria and for the wider IMEA rehabilitation community. It shows that the future of O&P in Africa will depend not only on devices and donor programmes, but on education, regulation, local leadership and professional capacity.
For Nigeria, these graduates represent a new generation of clinicians and technologists who can help close gaps in mobility care. For Africa, the milestone offers a model for how universities can contribute to national rehabilitation systems by training professionals who are clinically grounded, technically skilled and locally relevant.
The challenge now is to ensure that these graduates are supported with employment pathways, mentorship, clinical infrastructure, continuing education and access to modern fabrication technologies. A strong training programme is the beginning. A strong professional ecosystem is the next step.