The Federal Government has announced plans to increase annual admissions into Nigerian medical schools to about 20,000 within the next three years, as part of efforts to address the country’s healthcare workforce needs and reduce the pressure driving professionals to seek opportunities abroad.
The Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Medical Simulation Committee, which is proposing the establishment of world-class medical simulation centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
He said the expansion of medical education must be accompanied by improved practical training facilities to ensure that the growing number of students entering the healthcare professions receive quality hands-on education.
Alausa, in a statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Mr Ikharo Attah, said annual admissions into medical schools had increased from about 5,000 students when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 currently, adding that the government was targeting about 20,000 medical students annually 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 enrolment in medical school to about 20,000,” he said.
The Minister also disclosed that nursing enrolment had recorded a significant increase, rising from about 38,000 students three years ago to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools in the country.
He added that admissions into pharmacy and dental programmes had also doubled, reflecting the Federal Government’s broader push to expand the pipeline of healthcare professionals.
Alausa said the proposed TETFund Medical Simulation Centres would play a critical role in supporting the expansion by providing modern facilities for practical training in medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and other allied health professions.
“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.
According to him, the initiative is in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his commitment to expanding Nigeria’s healthcare workforce while improving the quality of education and professional training available to Nigerian students.
The Minister commended the Chairman of the Medical Simulation Committee, Dr Wale Suleiman, and other members for their work in developing the proposal for the centres.
He also acknowledged the contributions of key professional and academic stakeholders, including the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council, 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.
Alausa said the expansion of healthcare education represented another demonstration of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving the quality and accessibility of tertiary education in the country.
“This person, President Bola, is committed to providing the best and the highest quality of education to every child in this country,” he said.
“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.
The Minister assured that the government would continue to support the development of the proposed simulation centres as part of efforts to provide Nigerian students with world-class professional training.
He said the initiative would ultimately contribute to strengthening the country’s healthcare workforce and ensuring that more Nigerians are trained locally to meet the nation’s growing demand for medical and allied health professionals.
Follow the story
