FG plans to build eight world-class medical simulation centres

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish eight state-of-the-art medical simulation centres across the country to enhance medical education and training.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced this on Wednesday in Abuja while inaugurating a 19-member Implementation and Monitoring Committee for Medical Simulation Centres, chaired by renowned neurosurgeon Prof Wale Sulaiman.

The simulation centres are designed to provide a realistic and immersive learning environment for medical students and healthcare professionals, enabling them to practise and refine their skills in a safe and controlled setting.

This initiative aims to improve patient safety, reduce medical errors, and increase the number of skilled healthcare professionals in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Alausa noted that findings by the ad-hoc committee revealed that medical simulation centres are virtually non-existent in Nigerian medical institutions and that modern training tools, such as virtual patients and telemedicine platforms, remain underutilised.

To address this gap, the Minister tasked the committee with finalising the proposal, ensuring compliance with goals and objectives, overseeing implementation, and developing quality assurance measures and standard operating procedures.

“Specifically, the terms of reference of the committee are:

1. Work on the finalisation of the proposal to set up approved medical simulation centres, creating a clear roadmap for their actualisation within the specified time frame.

2. Ensure compliance with the goals and objectives of the simulation centre.

3. Collaborate with selected institutions on the establishment of simulation centres.

4. Oversee and monitor the implementation of simulation centres across the country to ensure compliance with expectations.

5. Provide project management oversight for the simulation centres.

6. Develop modalities for implementing other recommendations from the reports submitted by the Teflon committee on medical simulation.

7. Develop and implement quality assurance measures and standard operating procedures for simulation centres.

8. Establish detailed key performance indicators for the simulation centres and institutions.

9. Engage external support and expertise not readily obtainable within the committee, including technical support, consultants, and others,” he said.

The Minister, who highlighted that the committee had been carefully selected, added that members were appointed for an initial three-year term, with the possibility of an extension for another three years if needed.

“So, they’ve carefully added additional members. We’re starting with eight simulation centres, which is quite good,” he stated.

The committee will also ensure financial sustainability through social mobility models and coordinate medical schools and teaching hospitals.

The Minister stressed the importance of making the centres financially sustainable and urged the committee to develop effective implementation strategies.

“You also have to oversee the process of setting up a centre itself. Obviously, procurement will be handled by the individual institution based on tech fund standards, but those standards must be vetted to ensure they meet world-class simulation centre benchmarks. However, the big challenge is ensuring that, once completed, the centres remain financially sustainable.

“And also, you need to work on the alignment between medical schools and teaching hospitals, as they are key stakeholders in this initiative.

“Please ensure a 360-degree approach to how this initiative will unfold so that we can build more centres. We’re starting with eight now, but next year, there will be additional funding to ensure that all medical schools and teaching hospitals have simulation centres,” he said.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc Sonny Echono, explained that medical simulation is a cornerstone of modern medical education and is widely adopted in developed countries to train both students and practising professionals.

“Our universities will greatly benefit from these interventions; they can use the simulation centres not only for training but also as hubs for innovation, developing and testing new medical devices, protocols, and training models. This initiative will ultimately transform our institutions into living laboratories for healthcare advancement,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to the Minister for his unwavering support and commitment to TETFund and its interventions.

Alausa further noted that the establishment of these simulation centres is a crucial step towards achieving the Federal Government’s vision of making Nigeria a hub of medical excellence.

He expressed optimism that the centres would not only enhance the quality of medical education but also contribute to the development of the country’s healthcare sector.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of TETFund, Hon Aminu Bello Masari, expressed confidence that, given the calibre of committee members, they would deliver on their important assignment.

Chairman of the committee, Prof Wale Sulaiman, assured that the committee would work diligently to ensure the successful implementation of the simulation centres.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration and stakeholder engagement in achieving the committee’s objectives.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE