From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Senate on Wednesday during the third reading passed bills, seeking to establish two new Federal University Teaching Hospitals; one in Kaduna and the other in Benue States respectively.
This move was aimed at boosting medical training and expanding healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The bills passed, are the Federal University of Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital, Kachia, Kaduna State (SB 1058), and the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, Benue State (SB 908).
Their passage followed the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Health led by Senator Ningi and the subsequent consideration of the bills clause by clause in the Committee of the Whole, where lawmakers approved clauses 1 to 3, the explanatory memorandum and the long titles.
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Presiding over the session, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said the establishment of the hospitals would strengthen Nigeria’s health manpower base and provide tertiary healthcare services to underserved communities in the North-Central and North-West regions.
Presenting the committee’s report, members of the Health Committee noted that the proposed hospitals would serve as training centres for medical students and other health professionals from the newly established federal universities in Kachia and Otukpo.
“This is a critical intervention for our healthcare system. These teaching hospitals will not only provide quality medical care to our people but also train the doctors, nurses and allied health professionals Nigeria urgently needs,” the committee stated.
After the third reading, the Senate resolved that the bills be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence and subsequently to the President for assent.
If signed into law, the Federal University of Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital, Kachia, will serve the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, while the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, will be the teaching hospital for the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo.
