The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has unveiled 13 projects at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), Bauchi State, as part of efforts to expand medical education, research and healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Friday during the commissioning of the projects at the university, saying the investments reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to developing world-class medical training institutions.
The commissioned facilities include modern laboratories, lecture theatres, student hostels, research centres and other critical infrastructure designed to strengthen the training of doctors, biomedical scientists, nurses, pharmacists, public health experts and other health professionals.
Echono also called for increased investment in medical education, arguing that Nigeria should not be discouraged by the migration of health professionals abroad, popularly known as the “japa” syndrome.
“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,” he said.
He argued that the international movement of Nigerian medical professionals could benefit the country through remittances, knowledge transfer and their eventual return, adding that the value of exporting skilled professionals could exceed that of exporting crude oil.
According to him, Nigerian medical professionals are highly valued internationally, making investment in their training an opportunity for national development rather than a reason for concern.
Echono commended FUHSA’s governing council, Senate, management and staff for the institution’s rapid development since its establishment in 2021.
He said the university’s progress demonstrated the impact of purposeful investment, strategic planning and sustained commitment to specialised medical education.
The TETFund chief added that the agency had provided dedicated funding for the university’s infrastructure, academic development, research facilities and institutional growth.
He said institutions that utilised their allocations effectively and completed projects on schedule deserved additional support.
Echono recalled that the Federal Government established six specialised federal universities of health sciences in 2021, with one located in each geopolitical zone, to address shortages of healthcare professionals and strengthen medical research.
He said the initiative followed lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to improve Nigeria’s capacity to respond to future public health emergencies.
He further disclosed that TETFund’s board had endorsed and recommended contracts for the establishment of eight medical simulation centres nationwide to the Federal Executive Council.
FUHSA is among the beneficiary institutions, with the projects expected to commence in 2026 and equipment installation planned for 2027.
The executive secretary also commended the Bauchi State Government and residents of Azare for supporting the university’s establishment and development, particularly by facilitating the process of securing a suitable location.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUHSA, Prof. Bala Audu, said the university had relied heavily on TETFund for infrastructure and equipment since its establishment.
Audu described the commissioned Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences building as one of the institution’s major infrastructure projects, noting that it housed five departments, lecture rooms, seminar rooms, laboratories, academic offices and a lecture theatre.
He, however, called for additional interventions to develop the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences to enable the university to expand its medical training capacity.
According to him, the additional facilities would support the Federal Government’s policy of increasing the production of health professionals and help address Nigeria’s healthcare workforce shortage.
“The investment that the Federal Government has made in this institution and indeed all the specialised Federal Universities of Health Sciences is to produce the desired manpower for health,” Audu said.
He noted that health professionals trained in Nigeria served not only the country but also healthcare systems across the world.
Also speaking, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Samuel Adejare, said FUHSA had made remarkable progress and was among the specialised federal universities already graduating students.
Adejare commended the vice-chancellor and the university’s management for their commitment to development, adding that the governing council maintained a cooperative relationship with the administration.
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.
