The Senate has passed the bill for establishment of Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue.
This followed the consideration of two reports by Senate Committees on Health (Secondary and Tertiary); and Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND at Tuesday’s plenary, NAN reports.
Chairman of the Committee on Health, Sen. Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC- Kwara), in his presentation said the bill for the University of Medical Sciences, Otukpo, would give legal backing to the institution which was already in existence.
“Mr President and Distinguished Colleagues, this is coming at a very important time in our history.
“With the challenges of the pandemic and the importance of the health sector generally in Nigeria and globally, creation of a University of Health Sciences is very necessary.
“More importantly, the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo is already in existence but needs legal backing to effectively carry out its mandates,” Oloriegbe said.
The lawmaker explained that the bill sought to among other things, address the dearth in admission of students aspiring to study Medicine and Allied Health Sciences in Nigeria.
He said that the university would fill the vacuum created by the loss of manpower in the country’s health services industry to migration and brain drain.
(NAN)