One Dermatologist Caters to One Million Nigerians – Dermatologist
A Consultant Dermatologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Folakemi Cole-Adeife, has decried the dearth of qualified dermatologists, saying that Nigeria currently has one qualified specialist catering to about one million people.
She gave these statistics during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in commemoration of World Skin Day, observed annually on July 8.
World Skin Day, a joint project of the International League of Dermatological Societies and the International Society of Dermatology, is meant to create awareness about skin conditions and the challenges with access to skin health care across the globe.
She said that the development had made accessibility and deliverability of dermatological care difficult in the country.
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According to the specialist, skin care is essential as the skin is the entry point to the body, and understanding the skin can indicate what may be happening inside the body.
She said, “Every human being deserves access to dermatological care but it is unfortunate that most African countries, Nigeria inclusive, have fewer dermatologists catering to millions of people.
“In Nigeria today, we have one dermatologist to one million people and some countries are worse.
“So, we need more dermatologists, we need more people to go into dermatology training and we need more medical schools to include dermatology training.
“If you are a medical student who has an interest in dermatology, please do not give up, dermatology is a lucrative field.
“Choose dermatology as your specialty to increase access to dermatological care in the country and make a global impact with dermatological care.”
Cole-Adeife urged Nigerians to love their skin and its colour, adding, “Your skin represents you and be reminded that everybody.
SOURCE: HealthWise
