SENATE DECLARES FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH A DONE DEAL

Senate Declares Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo 'a Done Deal'

Members of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND have declared the bill for the establishment of Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo a done deal.

National Assembly, Abuja

A bill which sought the establishment of the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue state, has received the endorsement of the Senate and stakeholders in the education and health sectors of the country.

The Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and League of Idoma Professors (LIP) were unanimous in their submissions at the Senate Public hearing that the university is desirable.

Speaking during the public hearing, Senator Jibrin Barau who noted that if the bill scaled through and gets presidential assent, said it would surely reduce the rate of medical tourism in Nigeria.

“This bill is very important to us, not because of the person sponsoring it, but because of its cogency and its importance. I have taken my time to read through the bill and could not agree less with it.

“The varsity, when established would surely reduce the rate of medical tourism among our elites in the country.

“No one will have to fly to India or any country on medical ground if we have all the needed state-of-the-art facility on ground in our country. Once this university takes off, we could even export our medical practitioners, which would boost our economy. As we all know, health they say is wealth.

“For the first since I started chairing this committee, we are witnessing this hall being filled to capacity, which shows how Benue people and Nigerians at large have yearned for this. From my observations so far, this vision is a done deal,” he added.

Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki who described the bill as timely noted that the establishment of the university would help mitigate the crisis in the health sector.

Saraki stressed that the university would open the window for admission and training of medical doctors, nurses , pharmacists and medical laboratory scientists in Nigeria adding “the university when established would address the issues of medical tourism and its associated capital flights”.

Saraki who was represented the Chief Whip, Senator Sola Adeyeye lamented that Nigeria loses humongous sum of money about N3billion annually on account of citizens seeking medical attentions abroad, adding that he would do all within his power to push for the speedy passage of the bill.

“Health has been one of the major challenges of this country. At the moment, Nigeria is yet to meet with the standard of World Health Orgsnisation, which suggests one doctor to 600 patients, but what we have in Nigeria is one doctor to 5,000 patients.

“The bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo is a welcome development and the senate pledges its total support for this great move,” Saraki said,

Sponsor of the bill and former Senate President, Senator David Mark, listed the educational, economic and social importance of establishing the Health University to include medical education, access to health care facilities and employment opportunities, and urged his colleagues to support and pass the bill for the benefit of humanity.

Mark who said unhealthy population is a sick nation, hence, his reason to push for the establishment of the institution, recalled how he first fought for establishment of same varsity, which was approved by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government in 2015 but was revoked by the current government.

“This is to correct this impression that it is Idoma University. This is not an Idoma or state university, it is a federal university that we are trying to site in Otukpo and we all know what that means. I am impressed by this overwhelming support by my distinguished colleagues, kinsmen and the entire Nigerians who have seen the need to improve our health sector,” Mark remarked.

Education Minister Mallam Adamu Adamu added that the establishment of the Health University would help address the imbalance in health education just as it will solve the medical needs of citizens.

Speaking through the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Sunday Echono, the minister assured that the executive arm of government will do the needful as soon as the legislative processes are completed .

The NUC executive Secretary Professor Adamu Rasheed who spoke through Prof Ibrahim Yakassai said the university would be an added value to the pursuit of medical Education in Nigeria.