By Tajudeen Babamale

The Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee on Medical Simulation Centres, led by the renowned neurosurgeon and academic, Prof. Wale Sulaiman, CON, has commended the University of Ilorin on its foresight in establishing one of Nigeria’s first skills laboratory and simulation centres in 2013.

Prof. Sulaiman made the remarks last Monday (November 17, 2025) when his team visited the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences to inspect the University’s Medical Simulation Centre, as part of the Federal Government’s initiative, through the Ministry of Education, to establish state-of-the-art medical simulation centres in selected universities across the country.

Prof. Sulaiman, who is also the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences (FUHSI), Ila-Orangun, said University of Ilorin’s early investment in medical simulation has positioned it ahead of many institutions in Nigeria.

The neurosurgeon explained that medical simulation is essential for training medical, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health students to international standards and ensure they can compete globally and at the same time provide high-quality patient care. He said simulation improves patient safety and care quality by allowing students to practice clinical procedures on mannequins rather than real patients, helping to prevent errors and enhance continuous learning.

On curriculum and programme of the new initiate, he stressed that registrars of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and other regulatory bodies will have to collaborate to integrate simulation fully into student training.

Looking ahead, he observed the role of technology and innovation in the future of medicine, predicting that artificial intelligence will reduce manpower requirements in healthcare. He added that medical simulation is a critical step towards a more efficient and technologically driven medical practice.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has lauded the Federal Ministry of Education and its committee on medical simulation for their initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that will enhance learning experiences and improve the quality of professionals graduating from the University.

Prof. Egbewole, who stated that the University has independently strived to provide quality training for its medical, pharmacy, nursing, and allied health students, expressed optimism that the federal initiative will scale up these efforts and offer opportunities for even better learning experiences.

The Vice Chancellor, who is also the Secretary-General of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), however, appealed for special waivers to facilitate the recruitment of additional medical lecturers, noting that promptly filling this gap would maximise the benefits of the simulation centres and other investments.

According to him, achieving high-impact training for medical, pharmacy, nursing, and dentistry students required the implementation of deliberate policies to improve staffing in the College of Health Sciences.

Prof. Egbewole urged the committee to recommend to the Ministry of Education the approval for employment of more medical trainers. He opined that addressing the staffing shortfall quickly will ensure that the envisioned “Eldorado” of advanced medical education becomes a reality, benefiting the University, the students, and the nation’s healthcare sector.