The Federal Government is set to establish world-class medical simulation centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to strengthen practical training for students in medicine and other healthcare professions.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated this in Abuja while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Medical Simulation Committee.
Dr. Alausa described the initiative as a major step towards providing high-quality practical training for students of medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and other allied health professions.
He said the initiative was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to expand Nigeria’s healthcare workforce and ensure that the increasing number of students entering health professions receive quality training.
“I would like to thank the members of the committee that has worked so hard and assiduously to get us to this point in which we are now talking about building several simulation centres across the country to provide world-class training for our medical students, dental students, nursing students, pharmacy students and other allied healthcare professionals,” he said.
The Minister said the need to strengthen practical training had become more urgent with the significant increase in enrolment and admissions into healthcare-related programmes across the country.
He disclosed that nursing enrolment, which stood at about 38,000 students three years ago, had risen to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools in the country.
Dr. Alausa also said annual admission into medical schools had increased from about 5,000 students when President Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 students.
He said the Federal Government’s next target was to increase annual medical school enrolment to about 20,000 students within the next three years.
“Today, I’m happy to report that we’re admitting almost 12,000 students primarily now. Our goal in the next three years will be to increase the number of annual medical student enrolments in medical school to about 20,000,” he said.
He added that admissions into pharmacy and dental schools had also doubled, further expanding the number of healthcare professionals being trained to serve the country.
The Minister commended the Chairman of the Medical Simulation Committee, Dr. Wale Suleiman, and other members for their commitment and hard work in preparing the report and advancing plans for the proposed simulation centres.
He also acknowledged the contributions of key professional and academic stakeholders to the initiative, including the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and a professor in the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat at the University of Abuja Medical School.
The Minister assured that the Tinubu administration would continue to support the development of the proposed TETFund Medical Simulation Centres and the expansion of healthcare training nationwide.
He said the initiative was aimed at giving more Nigerian students access to high-quality professional education while building the skilled healthcare workforce required to meet the country’s future needs.
RN
