FG Increases Medical School Admissions by 100%

Cursory: The federal government has doubled medical school admissions in Nigeria to address the healthcare professional shortage. MDCN approved 41 fully accredited and 7 partially accredited medical schools to admit 9,610 students, doubling the previous admissions. The initiative aims to counter the migration of doctors by increasing admissions and producing more healthcare workers.

To tackle the severe shortage of healthcare professionals in Nigeria caused by a significant outflow of skilled workers, the federal government has doubled the admission quota for Medical Schools across the country by 100 percent.

This decision, communicated through a letter from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to the Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, signifies that accredited medical schools will now enroll twice the number of students they previously admitted in 2024.

The letter, dated January 22, 2024, and signed by T.A.B Sanusi, the Registrar of MDCN, outlines the approval for 41 fully accredited medical schools and 7 partially accredited medical schools, resulting in a total admission of 9,610 students, compared to 4,805 across all schools.

The letter titled: RE: Ministerial Initiatives Toward Increasing The Production of The Human Resources For Health In Nigeria’ read, “Further to our recent Letter on this subject with Ref. No. MDCN/ 1018/Vol. I dated 2nd January 2024, I wish to inform you of the Presidential directive through the Minister of State for Health of the approval for the increment of the Quota of admission into the Medical Schools in Nigeria by 100 percent.”

The letter highlighted that the approval aligns with the Federal Ministry of Health’s vision for implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda for the health sector.

Nonetheless, the Council cautioned that during the implementation process, standards must not be compromised, and medical schools are required to keep the Council informed to ensure proper documentation and indexing.

“You can approach the Council for further clarification if necessary. I wish to appreciate you for your immense support for the Colleges of Medicine across the Country. Kindly accept the assurances of my esteemed regards”, the letter read.

The significant emigration of doctors and healthcare professionals across various fields has resulted in Nigeria facing a critical shortage of skilled manpower.

According to the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors in 2023, more than 5,000 medical doctors have relocated to countries such as the UK, US, United Arab Emirates, and other African nations over the past five years.

This departure has left Nigeria with only slightly over 9,000 medical doctors, despite the country requiring more than 300,000. In response to this challenge, Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, announced plans in October 2023 to double the number of medical and dental doctors from 5,000 to 10,000 starting from the next academic year by increasing admissions into medical and dental institutions.

Speaking at the induction ceremony of foreign-trained medical and dental graduates by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in Abuja, the minister lamented that the current annual production of just over 3,000 doctors in Nigeria remains grossly inadequate, necessitating a doubling of the rate of healthcare worker production.

The minister also indicated intentions to extend this initiative to include all other healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, community health extension workers, radiographers, among others.

The new approval for fully accredited schools are as follows:

1. College of Health Sciences, Abia State University Uturu,Abia State, from 120 to 240

2. College of Health Sciences, University of Uyo, Akwalbom. 150 to 300

3. College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe UniversityNnewi, Anambra State. 100 to 200

4. College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri,Borno State. 150 to 300

5. College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Cross -Rivers State. 150 to 300

6. College of Health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka,Delta State. 120 to 240

7. College of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State UniversityAbakaliki, Ebonyi State. 100 to 200

8. College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State. 150 to 300

9. College of Health Sciences, Igbinedion University Okada,Edo State. 120 to 240

10. College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma,Edo State. 50 to 100

11. College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus,Enugu State. 180 to 360

12. College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Scienceand Technology, Enugu, 120 to 240

13. College of Medicine, Imo State University Owerri, ImoState. 50 to 100

14. College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello UniversityZaria, Kaduna State. 180 to 360

15. College of Medicine, Bayero University Kano, Kano State. 150 to 300

16. College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, KwaraState. 150 to 300

17. College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, LagosState. 150 to 300

18. College of Medicine, Lagos State University Ikeja, LagosState. 100 to 200

19. Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences, OlabisiOnabanjo University Ago 75 to 150

20. College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo Universitylle-Ife, Osun State 100 to 200

21. College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State. 180 t0 360

22.College of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, PlateauState. 150 to 300

23. College of Health Sciences, Madonna University Elele,Rivers State 120 to 240

24. College of Health Sciences, University of Port-Harcourt,Rivers State 150 to 300

25. College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo UniversitySokoto, Sokoto State. 150 to 300

26. College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Osun State 120 to 240

27. College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, 50 to 100

28. Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State 50 to 100

29. College of Health Sciences, Bingham University Karu, Nasarawa State. 100 to 200

29. College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State 150 to 300

30. College of Medicine, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OjukwuUniversity, Awka, Anambra State. 120 to 240

31. College of Health Sciences, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State 100 to 200

32. College of Health Sciences, Babcock University, Ilishan- 120 to 240

33. College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja 75 to-150

34. College of Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State 200 to 400

35. College of Medicine, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti 50 to 100

36. College of Medicine, Kaduna State University, 70 to140

37. College of Medical Sciences, Gombe State University 60 to120

38. University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City, Ondo State 100 to 200

39. College of Medicine & Health Sciences, GregoryUniversity, Uturu, Abia, 75 to150
State 100

40. College of Medicine, Edo University, Iyamho, Edo State 100 to 200

41. College of Health Sciences, Nile University, Abuja , 100 to 200

For partially accredited medical schools

1. College of Health Sciences, Abubakar Tafawa BalewaUniversity Bauchi, 60 to 120Bauchi State.

2. Pamo University of Medical Sciences, Port-Harcourt 100 to 200

3. College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University Port-Harcourt 200 to 400

4. Eko University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ijanikin,Lagos 50 to 100

5. College of Medicine and Allied Health Professions, FederalUniversity, Dutse, Jigawa 50 to 100 State

6. College of Health Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo,Osun State 100 to 200

7. College of Medicine, Alex Ekwuerne Federal University,Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi 50 to 100.

Credits: ALLSCHOOL, Businessday

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