Abuja Varsity, Health Ministry Partner To Enhance Medical Education

Cosmopolitan University, Abuja, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Health to enhance medical education and training, particularly for nursing and other healthcare-related courses.

The agreement will allow students from Cosmopolitan University to undertake their clinical training at the National Hospital, Abuja, a move that aims to address workforce challenges in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasised the significance of the partnership in strengthening the country’s medical workforce, adding that it would fill the gap created by those leaving Nigeria for other countries.

“If we weren’t training them, they wouldn’t have been attractive to other countries. But because Nigerian health workers are known, are well trained, people come to take them. Unfortunately, that has implications on the service delivery here at home.

“So as a government, we took a progressive stance to say, look, let’s train more so that even those who are trained leave, some of them leave, some will stay. And even those who have gone away might come back to serve. And that’s behind the policy that this administration has passed and the president approved it,” he said.

Prof. Pate assured that the expansion of training opportunities would not compromise professional standards, as regulatory bodies would oversee compliance.

“The ministry, the regulatory board are working to make sure that the standards are maintained while we’re expanding the capacity in public and private sectors,” he said, even as he commended Cosmopolitan University for the initiative.

“And so I’m very pleased that you have joined hands with the National Hospital to be able to really see how the capabilities of the hospital can help you train more of the clinicians. At the end of the day, Nigerians will win because they will have capable workers who will deliver services. They will also be employed,” the minister said.

On his part, Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmed, Registrar of Cosmopolitan University, described the MoU as a significant step forward for the institution.

“The fact that we searched around and looked to see the best place that we can take the students to do their clinical posting, where they will have their first-hand experience with the patients. And the National Hospital came highly recommended because of the volume of patients and the diversity of services that they offer,” he said.

He added that the partnership is expected to evolve further, with plans to collaborate with the National Hospital on a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme.

“The CMD (Chief Medical Director) mentioned that this is the beginning. We are looking at also collaborating with them to start the MBBS programme, which is going to allow us to train medical doctors as well as all the professionals in the health sector.

“We have a particular advantage that the university is just a stone’s throw from the National Hospital. We are directly opposite the National Hospital. So it’s only natural that such a relationship should be developed and for it to blossom. And so we are happy about what we are able to accomplish today. And we look forward to even bigger things in the months and years ahead,” he said.

Mani reaffirmed the university’s commitment to working closely with the ministry to ensure the MoU is effectively implemented for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Professor Muhammad Raji Mahmud, also emphasized the potential impact of the agreement, stating that it would provide vast training opportunities for Cosmopolitan University’s medical students and significantly contribute to the country’s medical workforce.