FG To Tackle Medical Training Gaps With Six Simulation Centres

The Federal Government has announced plans to establish world-class Medical Simulation Centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to expand training capacity and strengthen practical education for students in the health sector.

The minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in Abuja while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Medical Simulation Committee, a statement by the minister’s Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah stated.

Alausa said the centres will provide high-quality hands-on training for medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and other allied health students at a time when enrolment into healthcare programmes is rising sharply across the country.

According to Alausa, the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to expand Nigeria’s healthcare workforce and ensure that more students entering health professions receive quality training.

“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,” the minister said.

He noted that the need for stronger practical training has become urgent following a significant increase in admissions. Nursing enrolment, he said, has grown from about 38,000 three years ago to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools nationwide. Annual admission into medical schools has also risen from about 5,000 when President Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 currently.

The minister stated that the administration’s next target is to raise annual medical student enrolment to about 20,000 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 is to increase the number of annual medical student enrolment in medical school to about 20,000,” he said.

He added that admissions into pharmacy and dental schools have also doubled, further expanding the pool of healthcare professionals being trained to serve the country.

Alausa commended the Chairman of the Medical Simulation Committee, Dr. Wale Suleiman, and other members for their work in preparing the report and advancing plans for the proposed centres.

He also acknowledged key stakeholders present, including the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, 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.

Describing the development as another demonstration of President Tinubu’s commitment to improving the quality of education in Nigeria, the minister said progress in healthcare education is already producing visible results.
“This person, 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 added.

Alausa assured that the President Tinubu-led administration will continue to advance the development of the proposed TETFund Medical Simulation Centres and support the expansion of healthcare training, with the objective of providing more Nigerian students access to high-quality professional education and strengthening the workforce needed in the country.