TETFund unveils 13 projects at Azare health varsity, says country must end Japa syndrome
By Uji A Iliyasu, Abuja
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has unveiled 13 projects at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), Bauchi State, in a move aimed at strengthening medical education, research and healthcare delivery.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Friday at the university, saying the projects reflect the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s capacity for world-class medical education and producing the health professionals the country needs.
He listed the commissioned facilities to include modern laboratories, lecture theatres, student hostels, research centres and other critical infrastructure.
Echono said they will provide learning environments for future doctors, biomedical scientists, nurses, pharmacists, public health experts and other health professionals.
Echono commended the university’s governing council, Senate, management and staff for their contributions to its rapid development since its establishment in 2021.
He said FUHSA’s growth demonstrates what purposeful investment, strategic planning and national commitment can achieve in specialised medical education.
Addressing the migration of Nigerian health workers abroad, popularly known as “japa”, Echono said the country should not be discouraged.
“I’m one of those who hold the view that we should not worry about what many call the japa syndrome. What we need to do is to intensify our investment, as we invest to produce more medical and health personnel, some will go out of this country as part of our exports,” he said.
“And I can assure you the value of those exports are higher than the natural resources that we are exporting in crude form,” he added.
He explained that Nigerian medical professionals are highly valued internationally and could contribute to national development through remittances, knowledge transfer and eventual return home.
He added that institutions that use their allocations effectively and complete projects on schedule deserve additional support.
Echono recalled that the Federal Government decided in 2021 to establish six specialised federal medical training institutions, one in each geopolitical zone, to address shortages of healthcare professionals. The initiative, he said, was conceived after the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen the nation’s medical research capacity and preparedness for future health emergencies.
He also disclosed that TETFund’s board had endorsed and recommended to the Federal Executive Council contracts for the establishment of eight medical simulation centres nationwide. FUHSA, he said, is among the beneficiary institutions, with work expected to begin in 2026 and equipment installation planned for 2027.
The executive secretary commended the Bauchi State Government and the people of Azare for supporting the university, noting that the state’s cooperation helped in securing a suitable location for the institution.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of FUHSA, Prof. Bala Audu, said the university had relied heavily on TETFund for infrastructure and equipment since inception. He described the newly commissioned Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences building as one of its major projects, housing five departments, lecture rooms, seminar rooms, laboratories, academic offices and a lecture theatre.
Audu said the university still requires additional interventions to develop its Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences, in line with the Federal Government’s policy of increasing the number of health professionals trained in the country.
He said the facilities would enable FUHSA to produce more medical personnel and help address the workforce shortage.
“The investment that the Federal Government has made in this institution and indeed all the specialised Federal Universities of Health Sciences is to produce the desired manpower for health,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s health workforce is utilised by countries around the world.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Samuel Adejare, said FUHSA had made remarkable progress and was among the specialised federal universities already graduating students. He commended the vice-chancellor and management for their commitment and noted that the council maintained a cooperative relationship with them.
Adejare also appealed for additional support to provide larger hostels for male and female students, saying adequate accommodation would help address some of the university’s pressing infrastructure needs.