By Comfort Olayinka
The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill for the second reading aimed at establishing a Teaching Hospital for the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA).
The bill, presented by Senator Adegbonmire Adeniyi from Ondo State, seeks to enhance the university’s medical program, which was approved by the National University Commission (NUC) in 2010.
Adeniyi emphasized the necessity of a teaching hospital to support the growing MBBS program at FUTA, especially as students approach clinical years.
The establishment of the hospital is vital to providing students with proper clinical training, which is currently being addressed through a temporary agreement with the Ondo State Government.
Adeniyi highlighted the critical importance of training more medical personnel in Nigeria, given the country’s growing population and the ongoing brain drain in the medical sector.
The bill was referred to the Senate’s Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund for further consideration and will return to plenary in four weeks.
“The course duration itself is six years,the first year is spent in the faculty of science, studying physics, chemistry, biology, and other general subjects.
“The pre-clinical years last for approximately 18 months, and success in the examinations.”
“After this qualifies the student to proceed to the clinical years, which is mostly spent in a teaching institute.”
“We must therefore, as a body, take urgent and concrete steps towards training more medical personnel.”
“Secondly, this bill will ensure that the students who are presently studying medicine in FUTA are properly trained medical personnel to attend to the health needs of citizens of this country. ”
The development marks a significant step in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare education system.
