The Association of Presidents and Proprietors of Higher Institutions in Nigeria has backed the Federal Government’s plan to increase annual medical student admissions to 20,000, urging the Ministry of Education to ensure that private higher institutions are fully integrated into the initiative.
APPHIN, in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Dr Kamaludeen Muhammed, on Thursday, described the planned expansion of medical education as a significant step towards addressing Nigeria’s shortage of healthcare professionals and strengthening the country’s human capital.
The association said, “APPHIN particularly applauds the Federal Ministry of Education for its bold and forward-looking initiative aimed at expanding medical education and supporting the recruitment and training of 20,000 medical students annually.”
The group, however, stressed that achieving the target would require the participation of both public and private institutions, particularly higher institutions with adequate infrastructure, qualified academic personnel and the capacity to contribute to medical workforce development.
The Federal Government had recently unveiled plans to establish medical simulation centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to expand training capacity and improve practical learning for medical and other health-related students.
