TETFund Unveils 13 Projects At Federal University Of Health Sciences, Azare
By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has unveiled 13 projects at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), Bauchi State, to strengthen medical education, research and healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Friday during the commissioning of the projects at the university, saying the investments reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding the country’s capacity for world-class medical education.
Echono said the projects would provide modern facilities for training doctors, biomedical scientists, nurses, pharmacists, public health experts and other health professionals needed to address Nigeria’s healthcare workforce shortages.
He commended the university’s Governing Council, Senate, management and staff for their contributions to its rapid development since its establishment in 2021, describing FUHSA’s progress as evidence of what purposeful investment and strategic planning could achieve.
According to him, TETFund has continued to provide dedicated funding for the institution’s infrastructure, academic development, research facilities and overall growth, stressing that effective utilisation of allocations remained critical to institutional development.
Addressing concerns over the migration of Nigerian medical professionals abroad, popularly known as the “japa” syndrome, Echono urged the country to intensify investment in training more health workers rather than become discouraged by their movement to other countries.
He argued that medical professionals working internationally could contribute to Nigeria’s economy through remittances, knowledge transfer and eventual return, describing their expertise as an important national asset.
“I can assure you the value of those exports are higher than the natural resources that we are exporting in crude form,” Echono said, maintaining that Nigeria should expand its production of medical and health personnel to meet domestic needs while benefiting from opportunities abroad.
The TETFund chief said the commissioned projects included modern laboratories, lecture theatres, student hostels, research centres and other essential infrastructure designed to improve teaching, learning and research at the institution.
He recalled that the Federal Government approved the establishment of six specialised federal universities of health sciences in 2021, with one in each geopolitical zone, following the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to strengthen medical research and preparedness for future health emergencies.
Echono also disclosed that TETFund’s board had endorsed and recommended contracts for eight medical simulation centres nationwide to the Federal Executive Council for consideration. He said FUHSA was among the beneficiary institutions, with the projects expected to commence in 2026 and equipment installation planned for 2027.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUHSA, Prof. Bala Audu, said the university had relied substantially on TETFund’s support for infrastructure and equipment since its establishment, describing the newly commissioned Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences building as one of its major development projects.
Audu explained that the building housed five departments, lecture rooms, seminar rooms, laboratories, academic offices and a lecture theatre, providing essential facilities for medical education and professional training.
He, however, appealed for additional interventions to develop the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences, saying the facilities would enable the university to expand its training capacity in line with the Federal Government’s policy of producing more healthcare professionals.
The vice-chancellor said Nigeria’s health workforce was serving countries across the world, underscoring the need to increase domestic training capacity to address shortages and improve healthcare delivery. He said further investments would enable FUHSA to contribute more significantly to meeting the country’s manpower needs.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Samuel Adejare, commended the university’s management for its achievements, noting that FUHSA was among the specialised federal universities already graduating students. He praised the cooperative relationship between the council and management, expressing confidence in the institution’s continued development.
