The bill to establish the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Item Bende sponsored by the Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Spokesperson of the House, Reps Benjamin Kalu has passed its second reading today February 10, 2022, during the plenary session at the Green Chambers of the National Assembly.
The bill which was first read on Wednesday 14th July 2021 seeks to provide for the establishment of the Federal University of Medical and Health Science in Item, Bende LGA of Abia State to make comprehensive provisions for its due management and administration as well as offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in this field of study.
The Lawmaker in his debate stated that specialized universities have become very important in Nigeria as there is an increasing demand for medical and health professionals especially as the country keeps losing her trained medical and health personnel to other countries, a situation the government may not completely halt at the moment. He also added that it would also be appropriate to key into the huge export market of trained medical and health personnel, by investing more into the education and training of this personnel in large numbers to meet both domestic and international standards.
According to Rep. Kalu, the general purposes of the University, among other things will include to:
Encourage the advancement of learning and to hold out to all persons without distinction of race, creed, sex, or political conviction, the opportunity of acquiring higher education in Medicine and other Health Sciences
Develop and offer academic and professional programs leading to the award of diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate research, and higher degrees with an emphasis on planning, adaptive, technical, maintenance, developmental, and productive skills in the field of Medicine, biomedical engineering, scientific, and allied professional disciplines relating to health resources with the aim of producing socially mature persons with the capacity not only to understand, use and adapt existing technologies in the health industry, but also to improve on those disciplines and develop new ones, and to contribute to the scientific transformation of medical and other health practices in Nigeria;
Act as agents and catalysts, through postgraduate training, research, and innovation for the effective and economic utilization, exploitation, and conservation of Nigeria’s natural, economic and human resources
Offer to the general population, as a form of public service, the results of training and research in medicine and allied disciplines and to foster the practical application of those results;
An Indigene of the Item community, Mr. Onyemachi Gabriel Eme who was present at the National assembly during the plenary session while speaking to the Drum Africa Correspondent, expressed gratitude to Rep. Benjamin Kalu for his outstanding representation, most especially, his attention to quality education, adding that Bende has never witnessed a thing like this before. He also assured the Representative that Item people are ready to support him all the through every process to ensure that the bill becomes a reality.
He applauded the lawmaker for bringing the constituency to the limelight while acknowledging the 9th House of Representatives for living up to the expectations of Nigerians thus far.
The bill has therefore been sent to the Committee on Education for further consideration.
