A bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Iyin Ekiti in Ekiti State, South West Nigeria has passed second reading in the Senate.
Sponsor of the bill, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, while leading debate on the bill, explained that “the university will be delivering education and training to current and future employees of medical profession.”
“The goal of the university is to inspire and motivate students and medical personnel about the value of being health professionals so as to lead change for realizing a more sustainable health sector that serves a more sustainable world”, he added.
He further explained that “the very essence of this bill is to provide a highly specialized institution that is more productive and very much needed for medical advancement of this nation.”
Innovations in the health sector
Senator Bamidele, who chairs the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, noted that the nation’s health has very high potentials, and requires high level technical, scientific and administrative skills to drive it, stressing that the university is therefore to further advance knowledge through research and nurture unique innovations in the health sector.
According to him, “it will support the mission and broad vision of a modern institution that will develop world-class medical personnel that can sustainably manage our nation’s health sector by providing medical expertise at the highest level.
The university is therefore to further advance knowledge through research and nurture unique innovations, entrepreneurship and wealth management in its core area of interest. The enactment of the bill would help in transforming the health and educational fortunes in Nigeria in producing the desired medical manpower and expertise that the country is yearning for”.
To support the establishment of the university, he said the Ekiti State government has agreed to part with over 1000 acres of land and therefore sought the cooperation of his colleagues for the expeditious passage of the bill.
The Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, commended Senator Bamidele for his desire for improved healthcare, medical manpower and expertise in the country and thereafter referred the bill to the Committee on Health for further legislative work.
Nneka Ukachukwu
