Senator Tony Nwoye’s Bill For University of Medicine and Medical Sciences Onitsha passes first reading

By Our correspondent

The Senate, today, read for the first time a bill sponsored by Senator Dr Tony Nwoye for establishment of Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Onitsha Anambra State, Establishment Bill 2024.

The Bill seeks to establish a university charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medicine and Medical sciences.

According to Senator Dr Tony Nwoye, He noted that specialised medical universities have become very important in Nigeria as there is increasing demand for Doctors and medical professionals, especially now that the country keep losing her trained medical and health personnel to other countries of the world.

Senator Nwoye said that his intention for the bill is that the university when established will encourage the advancement of learning and hold out to all persons without distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction, the opportunity of acquiring a higher education in Medicine and other Medical Sciences.

He also said the university will develop and offer academic and professional programs leading to the award of diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate research and higher degrees with emphasis on planning, technical, maintenance, developmental and productive skills in the field of Medicine and allied professional disciplines relating to health resources.

Senator Nwoye said, “The importance of education in the society cannot be over-emphasized. It is important for a happy and stable life, for better income and livelihood and for social equality.

He went further to say that, it is important to have specialized universities especially in the field of medicine and Medical Sciences. This will help in filling the gaps seen in conventional universities’ run medical faculties which often grapple with lack of resources among other things.

Recall that in the past the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria had recommended that universities should consider the establishment of independently administered Colleges of Medicine as a way to partly decentralize power and garner additional resources for medical schools. You will recall also the successes of specialized medical universities around the globe.