Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The medical simulation centres planned by the Federal Government are expected to transform healthcare training across Nigeria as authorities move to increase annual medical school admissions to 20,000 students within the next three years.
Minister of Education Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa announced the initiative on Sunday in Abuja while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Medical Simulation Committee, describing the proposed centres as critical to strengthening practical training for future healthcare professionals.
The Federal Government plans to establish world-class medical simulation centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to provide students in medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and other allied health disciplines with access to advanced clinical training before they begin treating patients.
Alausa said the initiative has become increasingly necessary as enrolment into health-related programmes continues to rise sharply.
According to the minister, nursing school admissions have increased from about 38,000 students three years ago to more than 120,000, while annual medical school admissions have risen from approximately 5,000 at the beginning of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to nearly 12,000.
He said the government’s next target is to expand annual medical admissions to 20,000 students within three years, adding that such growth must be supported by modern training infrastructure capable of producing highly skilled healthcare professionals.
“The increase in student enrolment requires corresponding investment in practical learning facilities to ensure graduates are adequately prepared for clinical practice,” Alausa said.
The minister explained that simulation centres would bridge the gap between classroom instruction and hospital-based training by allowing students to develop clinical and technical skills in controlled learning environments using modern technology.
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