By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, has opined that specialised Universities, especially health focused, in the country have responsibilities in addressing critical health challenges, including inadequate access to healthcare, shortages of skilled medical personnel, preventable diseases and disparities in healthcare delivery between urban and rural communities.
The former SGF made the assertion on Friday while delivering an opening remarks as Chairman at the maiden pre-convocation lecture organised by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), Azare, Bauchi State, ahead of its maiden convocation ceremony.
He therefore called on Universities of Health Sciences and other related institutions in Nigeria to go beyond producing graduates and develop practical solutions to the country’s healthcare challenges.
According to him, the success of Universities of Health Sciences and other related courses should not be measured only by the number of graduates they produce but also by their contributions to improving the health and well-being of the communities they serve.
According to him, “For a University situated in Azare, these realities are particularly relevant. The institution has an opportunity to understand the healthcare needs of surrounding communities and develop research, training and outreach programmes to address them.”
Yayale Ahmed who once served as Head of Service of the Federation, also noted that medical and health sciences education remained fundamental to national development.
He stressed that sustainable development could not be achieved without a healthy population, well-trained professionals, relevant research, effective institutions and sound policies.
He also described the establishment of FUHSA as a significant milestone in the development of higher education in the region, particularly in expanding access to medical and health sciences education.
Yayale Ahmed commended former Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, for his vision and commitment to expanding access to university education through the establishment of specialised universities.
He said the institution has brought medical education closer to young people in the area who previously had to travel long distances to pursue their academic ambitions.
He further stressed that, “Beyond its academic responsibilities, the University has the potential to transform its host community through employment opportunities, research, improved healthcare services and wider socioeconomic development.”
He assured the University’s Governing Council, Management, Staff and Students of the continued support of the host community, emphasising the need for a strong relationship between the institution and its immediate environment.
He urged the University to remain committed to academic excellence, sound institutional governance, meaningful research and service to society.
Yayale Ahmed also called on governments, development partners, the private sector and the host community to sustain their support for the growth of the institution.
He described the Lecturer, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, as an experienced Academic and University Administrator whose contributions to higher education, quality assurance and policy development had earned him recognition in the country.
Yayale Ahmed expressed confidence that the lecture would deepen understanding of the role of specialised universities in promoting national well-being.
He congratulated the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bala Mohammed Audu, the governing council, management, staff and other stakeholders on the institution’s progress towards its maiden convocation.
The pre-convocation lecture, titled “From Medical Education to National Well-Being: The Promise of Universities of Health Sciences in Nigeria,” was delivered by Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, and former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission.
