No fewer than 82 graduates of Community Health from the Millennium College of Health Technology (MCHT), Akure, were officially inducted into the Community Health Practitioners’ Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN) on Thursday, May 15, 2025, marking a significant milestone in their professional journey.

The combined induction and oath-taking ceremony for Community Health practitioners had as its theme: “Effective Utilisation of the National Standing Orders: A Tool for Reducing Maternal and Child Mortality in Nigeria – The Role of Community Practitioners.”

The special event, held at the main auditorium of the college, also witnessed the induction of Community Health practitioners from Margaret Mosunmola College of Health Sciences and Technology, Owo.

The colourful ceremony was attended by members of the Governing Councils of the two institutions, management and staff, traditional rulers, parents and guardians, friends, and well-wishers.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Millennium College of Health Technology (MCHT), Chief (Dr) Ayodele Mesuleya, while congratulating the inductees from both institutions, advised them to be diligent and always approach their work with utmost seriousness.

He explained that the inductees are now competent and qualified to practise as Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) and Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEWs) across all health facilities in the federation.

“The graduates have passed the prescribed examinations conducted by the Community Health Practitioners’ Registration Board of Nigeria, and that is why they are being inducted.

“The implication is that the graduates are now competent and can effectively practise as Community Health Extension Workers across our health facilities nationwide. They are now fully qualified.

“Whenever they secure employment, they must perform their duties in a manner that justifies the confidence the Board has placed in them,” Dr Mesuleya stressed.

On his part, a member of the Board of Directors of MCHT, Dr Ayoola Bello, said the ceremony was to formally welcome the inductees into the profession. He urged the graduands to continue to be good ambassadors of the college.

“They have been trained in both Community Health and Junior Community Health. It is the norm and practice in Nigeria that if you are a health professional and have undergone training, there will be a formal induction during which the do’s and don’ts of the profession are explained and the oath is administered. From that moment, the new practitioner is licensed to practise.

“At Millennium, we have trained them with the best array of experienced professionals. They have gone through several examinations, including moral assessments, because a health worker must also demonstrate sound character. You don’t go out there and treat people disrespectfully.

“All these elements have been incorporated into their curriculum, and we thank God for the regulatory body, the Community Health Registration Board of Nigeria. We are collaborating with them in all ramifications to make sure that our products are the best.

“And let me tell you, even when we travel out of the state or out of the country, we see our products, we don’t know them, they just come and introduce themselves and they are doing well outside there. We have our products holding key positions out there.

“I want to advise all our products, including the new inductees, to continue to be good ambassadors of this college. They represent us, and they are our pride,” Dr Bello added.

Also speaking, the Founder/Provost of Margaret Mosunmola College of Health Sciences and Technology, Owo, Dr Isaac Olagoke Temidayo, stated that the institution, established in 2019, has been consistently producing excellent graduates. He pledged to continue contributing his quota to primary healthcare manpower development in society.

Kelvin Solomon Olaolu, Senior Special Assistant on Student Affairs to the Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, emphasised the importance of Community Health Extension Workers. He assured that the government would continue to support them in contributing meaningfully to the development of the health sector in the state.

He urged the inductees to be agents of change wherever they find themselves.

The Registrar/CEO of the Community Health Practitioners’ Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN), Dr Bashir Idris, represented by Abayomi Great, Zonal Technical Officer for the South-West, formally welcomed the inductees into the profession.

He said; “Today marks the beginning of a noble journey—one of service, sacrifice, and professional responsibility.Your certificate is not merely a licence; it is a call to ethical service. I urge you to uphold the highest standards of community health practice, to act with integrity, compassion, and professionalism. You are now custodians of public trust.

“Wear your uniforms with dignity. Speak with knowledge. Serve with commitment. And above all, protect life—especially that of the mother, infant, and neonate—through the proper use of the National Standing Orders.”

Some of the inductees, including Gabriel Matthew and Omopelumi Blessing, expressed their joy and promised to bring their training to bear in upholding the ethics of the profession, thereby improving health outcomes at the grassroots.

The ceremony also featured the presentation of certificates and licences to the inductees.