The Federal Government has unveiled plans to build world-class medical simulation centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as it targets 20,000 annual medical school admissions within the next three years.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Medical Simulation Committee.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Office of the Minister of Education, signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
Alausa said the centres would offer practical training for medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and other allied healthcare students.
“I would like to thank the members of the committee that have 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.
According to the minister, the centres will be spread across the six geopolitical zones and will support the Federal Government’s plan to expand Nigeria’s healthcare workforce under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Alausa said the expansion had become necessary following a sharp rise in enrolment into health-related programmes.
He disclosed that nursing enrolment, which stood at about 38,000 three years ago, has now risen to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools nationwide.
The minister added that annual medical school admissions had increased from about 5,000 when Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 currently.
“Today, I’m happy to report that we’re admitting almost 12,000 students. Our goal in the next three years will be to increase the number of annual medical student enrolment in medical schools to about 20,000,” he said.
He noted that admissions into pharmacy and dental schools had also increased significantly.
Alausa commended the Chairman of the Medical Simulation Committee, Dr Wale Suleiman, and other members for their work in preparing the report.
He said the initiative would ensure that the growing number of healthcare students receive adequate practical training.
The planned expansion comes amid ongoing concerns over the “Japa” migration of Nigerian doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
This trend has raised worries among professional bodies about its impact on Nigeria’s healthcare system, especially the shortage of skilled personnel in public hospitals.
With the new simulation centres, the government hopes to expand training capacity while improving the quality of practical education for health professional students.
Alausa described the development as further evidence of the administration’s commitment to education and workforce development.
“President Bola is committed to providing the best and the highest quality of education to every child in this country. We are seeing it, we are seeing the result now. It’s another manifestation of President Bola’s fervent and benevolent belief in the progress and benefit of the future of Nigeria,” he said.
Digital Operations Manager at The Students Forum Nigeria.
