Jane Salihu
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has called for increased investment in medical education, arguing that Nigeria can turn the migration of health professionals abroad into an economic advantage by training more personnel for domestic and international healthcare needs.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, stated this on Friday during the inauguration of 13 projects at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), Bauchi State.
Echono said Nigeria should look beyond concerns over the migration of medical professionals, popularly known as the “japa” syndrome, and focus on expanding its capacity to train health workers whose expertise could benefit the country and the international community.
According to him, medical professionals trained in Nigeria are highly sought after globally, making investment in their education an opportunity to generate economic value through remittances, knowledge exchange and the possible return of experienced professionals.
“I’m one of those who hold the view that we should not worry about what many call the japa syndrome. What we need to do is to intensify our investment, as we invest to produce more medical and health personnel, some will go out of this country as part of our exports,” he said.
Echono added that the value of exporting skilled medical professionals could surpass that of exporting crude natural resources.
He said the 13 projects commissioned at FUHSA reflected the Federal Government’s determination to strengthen specialised medical education, research and healthcare delivery through strategic investments in tertiary institutions.
The facilities include modern laboratories, lecture theatres, student hostels, research centres and other essential infrastructure designed to improve teaching, learning and research.
He noted that the projects would support the training of doctors, biomedical scientists, nurses, pharmacists, public health experts and other professionals required to address Nigeria’s healthcare workforce needs.
The TETFund chief commended the university’s governing council, Senate, management and staff for the institution’s progress since its establishment in 2021.
He said institutions that effectively utilised their allocations and completed projects within schedule deserved further interventions to consolidate their achievements.
Echono recalled that the Federal Government established six specialised federal universities of health sciences in 2021, with one in each geopolitical zone, following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to improve medical training and national preparedness for future health emergencies.
He also disclosed that TETFund’s board had endorsed and recommended contracts for the establishment of eight medical simulation centres across the country to the Federal Executive Council.
FUHSA is among the beneficiary institutions, with the projects expected to commence in 2026 and equipment installation scheduled for 2027.
He commended the Bauchi State Government and residents of Azare for supporting the establishment of the university, particularly in facilitating the process of securing a suitable location for the institution.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUHSA, Prof. Bala Audu, said the university had depended significantly on TETFund’s interventions for infrastructure and equipment since its establishment.
Audu described the newly commissioned Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences building as a major addition to the university’s academic infrastructure.
He said the facility houses five departments, lecture rooms, seminar rooms, laboratories, academic offices and a lecture theatre.
The vice-chancellor, however, appealed for additional interventions to develop the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences, noting that expanded infrastructure was necessary to increase the number of health professionals trained by the institution.
He said the Federal Government’s investment in specialised universities of health sciences was aimed at addressing the country’s shortage of medical personnel and strengthening healthcare delivery.
Audu observed that Nigerian-trained health professionals serve both domestic and international healthcare systems, underscoring the need to expand training capacity rather than limit investment because of the migration of skilled personnel.
Also speaking, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Samuel Adejare, said FUHSA had recorded significant progress and was among the specialised federal universities already graduating students.
Adejare commended the vice-chancellor and management for their contributions to the institution’s development, noting that the governing council had maintained a cooperative relationship with the university’s leadership.
He also appealed for additional support to construct larger hostels for male and female students, describing adequate accommodation as one of the institution’s pressing infrastructure needs.
