The directive was given on January 22, 2024 as parts of the government’s efforts to address the shortage of healthcare workers due to the mass exodus of professionals popularly known as “Japa”. This was contained in a letter from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and addressed to the secretary-general, Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. The letter with the reference number MDCN/1018/vol.
1 and dated January 22, 2024, was signed by T.A.B.
Sanusi, the registrar of MDCN. But in an interview with top officials, including provosts of some medical schools, LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the quest is being hindered by poor facilities such as accommodation, adequate manpower and the carrying capacities of the schools. In fact, universities’ medical schools and schools of nursing in Kwara State have not implemented the directive.
Findings by LEADERSHIP Sunday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, showed that the affected institutions have not increased the number of their students’ intake. Though it was difficult to obtain official information on their admission quota, feelers from senior management staff of some of the universities and nursing institutions indicated that certain constraints were hindering their abilities to increase the number of their students. A senior management staff at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) said, “The UITH has a school of nursing with limited facilities for a few of her students.
It is so .