*Allocates N110 billion to medical schools

The Federal Government has announced that it is seeking N1.5 trillion investments in the country’s medical education within the next five years. This is even as it has allocated over N110 billion to 18 public universities to boost enrolment into medicine and surgery, pharmacy, dentistry and nursing programmes.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated this, yesterday, in Abuja during the inauguration of Ministerial Committee on TETFund High Impact Intervention Project for medical schools’ rehabilitation across the six geopolitical zones. The committee is chaired by Prof. Sulaiman Alabi. Alausa said that the administration would deploy over N110 billion investment in 18 medical institutions nationwide in the first year.

The minister disclosed that N70 billion investments would be for rehabilating medical institutions in the 18 institutions, N15 billion in building new hostels for each of the schools, as well as medical simulation laboratories in six of the institutions.

According to him, each of the 18 institutions will get N4 billion, including N750 million each to build new hostels. The benefiting institutions include University of Jos, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Benin; University of Ibadan, Imo State University, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State; Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina State; University of Calabar, Benue State University and University of Maiduguri.

Others are Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Gombe State University, University of Nigeria Nsukka; Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Bayelsa State University, and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

“The rehabilitation of medical schools will have a profound impact on the quality of medical education in Nigeria. This intervention will enhance learning facilities, as modernised classrooms, laboratories, and clinical training facilities, will provide students with conducive environment for learning.

“Advanced research facilities and equipment will enable medical students and faculty to conduct research that will drive medical innovations and address health challenges specific to Nigeria,” the minister said.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, noted that the goal is to improve medical schools’ infrastructure, increase capacity, and produce more healthcare professionals.

He said: “The setting up of this committee was conceived as part of the minister’s initiative to enhance the education system, specifically the medical schools, by utilising the TETFund high impact intervention projects efficiently and effectively to address critical national needs in the health sector.”