*VC says health services being computerized, lists other achievements

By MATTHEW KALU, Umuahia

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), in Abia State, has thrown its weight behind Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, the inventor of the Nigerian medicine for curing HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, cancer and other viral diseases.

Vice-Chancellor of MOUAU, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, while briefing newsmen on his one year in office Tuesday, noted that Ezeibe’s research outcomes were winning laurels for the university, hence the need to encourage him.

In early February 2017, Prof. Ezeibe, currently the Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of MOUAU, told newsmen at a news briefing in Umuahia that he has invented a medicine he called Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS) which was effective against HIV/AIDS.

According to him, Aluminum-magnesium silicate (AMS) molecules are made of ultra-small Nanoparticles which enable it to penetrate the sanctuary cells where the HIV virus hibernate and destroy them.

He further explained that MSAMS has electrostatic attraction between opposite charges and HIV and other viral diseases also have electrical charges. According to him, MSAMS uses the Nanoparticles to mop up the viruses by bonding onto the abnormal cells with their edges and destroying them.

Since the disclosure, he has been working to get the federal government to recognize and commercialise the medicine, which, he noted, could be used to potentiate other medicines or drugs, arguing that MSAMS could fetch Nigeria more foreign exchange than crude oil.

But five years on, the federal government has yet to respond to the request of the scientist, although patients with viral diseases treated with the medicine have recovered.

When here was outbreak of Corona Virus, Prof. Ezeibe claimed that MSAMS could cure the disease in 72 hours, and has maintained that vaccination was never the answer to handling the disease but the federal government has yet to consider the medicine.

MOUAU, however, has been winning awards with Ezeibe’s MSAMS research works.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the institution was honoured with the award of achievement in excellent performance in Science, Technology and Innovation by the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, in recognition of the breakthrough of Prof M.C. Ezeibe in his work in addressing viral diseases, including COVID-19, assuring that the school would continue to support the egghead in his strides.

Responding to a question on how the university was engaging with the federal government to get them to recognize Ezeibe’s MSAMS, the Vice Chancellor said they have always announced that Ezeibe was doing well in developing drugs for curing viral diseases.

“Prof. Ezeibe is very very convinced that he has the cure for HIV and COVID-19 and related diseases through the drug he has invented. The university is solidly behind him. We will go to anywhere with him.

“Sometime this month, the university has been invited because of his work, to be at the national science and technological expo (exhibition), so we are going to support him to be there.

“Whenever we engage, we try to tell the world that Prof. Ezeibe has something to offer as far as viral diseases are concerned. So, we give him 100 support,” Prof Iwe said.

Speaking on his achievements since he assumed office on March 1, 2021, Prof. Iwe said the university has achieved 75 per cent of the digitalization and computerization of healthcare services at the Health Service Department of the University.

“Upon completion of this project before the end of the year, healthcare services will be accessed online, in line with global best practices in healthcare delivery. This means that healthcare delivery to every member of the University community will be easier to access; appointments will be made online and waiting time will be greatly reduced. In addition, clients will also be able to access their doctors and interact with them online. Most importantly, the need for clients to carry cards and files around will be jettisoned,” the Vice Chancellor said.

He also disclosed that the university has gained full accreditation in Adult and Continuing Education, as well as Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the undergraduate level; while at the Postgraduate level, Agribusiness and Financial Management, which was denied accreditation in the last four years; Banking and Finance; Business Administration; and Marketing have received full accreditation.

He said the accreditation exercise has given the institution the opportunity to strengthen its programmes and recover Agribusiness which was previously lost, adding, “We are now also hopeful that we can expand our admission horizon in the coming admission years due to our successes in the accreditation exercises.”

He also said that the University processes have been digitized, students’ and staff welfare improved with rehabilitation of 45 air-conditioned vehicles for intra-campus shuttle services, purchase of a brand-new Ashok Leyland 40-seater air-conditioned bus and implementation of the MOUAU Agric Graduate Loan Scheme (MAGLS) with members of the school’s alumni as beneficiaries.

According to him, the University management under his watch has resuscitated many moribund commercial ventures of the university in a bid to expand its revenue base.

These include the university’s fish farm, Bread and Biscuit Factory and the rebranded MOUAU filling station.

Prof. Iwe lamented that paucity of funds was slowing down the drive by the management to make the school better.

“The University also experienced a lot of slowing down due to paucity of funds which is a major brick wall to the University’s desire to change the state of her infrastructure and physical facilities.

“There is therefore a dire need for a significant infusion of funds for the upgrade of our physical environment, especially when considering that this University is among those Universities that started without a take-off grant from Government,” he said, promising that his administration would continue to strive for the best for the university,” he said.

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