NUC officially approves medical programmes for FUTA

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has officially approved the Federal University of Technology, Akure, (FUTA), to begin Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme with effect from the 2020/2021 academic session.

This was announced in a statement by the Deputy Director, Corporate Communications of FUTA, Mr Adebanyo Adegbenro, on Thursday, in Akure.

Adegbenro declared that the approval, in accordance with the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Adamu Rasheed, followed the endorsements of the panel of professionals from the commission, which conducted a resource verification visit.

He said, “In the letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Fuwape and signed by the Director of Academic Planning, Dr N. B. Salihu, resource verification was carried out by a panel of experts to the proposed medical programme of FUTA with a view to assessing the human and material resources available for their establishment.

“I am directed to inform the Vice-Chancellor that the Executive Secretary has considered and approved the establishment of the full-time mode of the Medicine and Surgery, MBBS, programme to be run with effect from the 2020/2021 academic session.

“The resource verification team visited FUTA in February 2021, to ascertain its level of preparedness for the take-off the School of Medical Sciences.”

As indicated by Adegbenro, after a thorough evaluation, the head of the group, Prof. Saliu Yakasai, Provost, College of Medicine, Bayero University Kano, stated that he was motivated by the resolution of FUTA towards the launching of the school in record time.

He added that FUTA was the top among other universities of technology in Nigeria, and that there was no uncertainty that the establishment of the medical programme and medical school will additionally position the institution among the top, amongst its colleagues, in the nation.

Prof. Yakasai appealed to the university management not to concede in setting up the essential logistics for the effective launching of the school and was hopeful that FUTA will utilise the medical school to additionally boost research and learning in Nigeria.

Responding to the turn of events, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, stated that the report of the resource verification team and the subsequent approval by the NUC is a confirmation of the hard work and structures, both human and material, already set up to begin the programme.

The director cited the Vice Chancellor as saying everyone must put in all its efforts to guarantee the seamless and effective inauguration of the medical programme.

Adegbenro stated, “Fuwape said since the school of Health and Health Technology is already running, Anatomy, Physiology and Medical Biochemistry, it will also join the mix of basic medical sciences programmes. FUTA has what it takes to run the MBBS programme.

“He said the university will deploy adequate human and material resources and invest the program with the imprimatur of excellence, which has become the hallmark of all programmes run by FUTA.”