The Chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, Barr. Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, on Saturday, January 17, 2026, joined the Commissioner for Health, Enugu State, Prof. George Ugwu, who represented Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, at the 4th Matriculation Ceremony of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, where the Commissioner delivered a keynote address welcoming newly admitted students.

In his speech, Prof. Ugwu reaffirmed the commitment of the Enugu State Government to the development of SUMAS as a critical pillar in medical and applied sciences education. He charged the matriculating students of the 2025/2026 academic session to embrace discipline, excellence and service, noting that the future of healthcare delivery in the state and the country depends largely on the quality of professionals being trained today.

The Commissioner also specially highlighted and appreciated the Rotary India–Nigeria Medical Mission team, commending their selfless service and strong partnership with Enugu State. He described the mission as a model of global collaboration that directly improves lives while strengthening local institutions.

The ceremony, presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. James Chukwuma Ogbonna, FAS, on behalf of the Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor, featured a colourful academic procession by members of the University Council, Senate, and staff. Students from faculties including Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering, and Allied Health Sciences took the matriculation oath, pledging to uphold the rules and academic standards of the university.

A major highlight of the event was the ongoing Rotary India-Nigeria Medical Mission, hosted at the SUMAS campus as the camp centre. The mission, sponsored by The Rotary Foundation under Global Grant No. GG 2577422 (Rotary Year 2024–2025), runs from 15th to 31st January 2026.

Implemented by the Rotary Vocational Training Team, the outreach is led by Rotary International District 3204 (India), with support from Districts 3203 and 3234 (India) and Districts 9127 and 9142 (Nigeria), under the theme “Unite for Good.” The team brought in various modern medical equipment for the outreach, which would be donated to SUMAS after the exercise, to boost the institution’s capacity for clinical training, research and healthcare service delivery.

With the successful matriculation ceremony and the ongoing international medical mission, SUMAS continues to strengthen its role as a fast-growing hub for medical education, global partnership and quality healthcare development in Enugu State and beyond.