The Federal Government says it plans to increase annual admission into medical schools to 20,000 within the next three years.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Medical Simulation Committee.
Alausa also announced plans to establish world-class medical simulation centres across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. He said the centres would provide practical training for medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and other allied health students.
The minister said annual admission into medical schools has risen from about 5,000 when President Bola Tinubu assumed office to nearly 12,000 currently.
He also disclosed that enrolment in nursing programmes had increased from about 38,000 three years ago to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools nationwide.
Alausa said the expansion of training capacity had become necessary amid the growing number of students entering health-related programmes and concerns over the migration of Nigerian health professionals abroad.
He added that the proposed simulation centres would help improve the quality of practical training and support the development of the healthcare workforce needed to meet Nigeria's future needs.
Source: Punch