The Senate on Thursday urged the Federal Government to establish a Medical School at the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola.
This followed a motion by Sen. Aishatu Ahmed (APC-Adamawa) on the urgent need to establish a medical school at the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola.
Ahmed, in the motion co-sponsored by 44 others, said Adamawa with a population of about 4 million people and neighbouring Taraba with population of about 3 million people, are the only states in the North East without a medical school or teaching hospital.
She said provision of effective healthcare service is a basic ingredient necessary for sustainable development of every society.
Ahmed said the call is also hinged on the dearth of specialists in areas of Consultant Cardiology, Pathology, Oncology, Hematology, Opthalmology among others in the two states.
She said establishment of the school would reduce challenges of access to healthcare services being faced by residents of the states
Contributing, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi,(APC-Niger), who seconded the motion said it is difficult for people to access healthcare services when the needed facilities are not made available.
Abdullahi said the need for medical schools is long overdue in both states.
Sen. Chimaroke Nnnamani, (PDP-Enugu) said one of the major impacts of poverty is on medical care.
He said the impact is worse when there is paucity of medical facilities in an area.
He said the establishment of medical schools would help the people have access to healthcare facilities.
Sen.Gabriel Suswan (PDP-Benue) said there is the need to establish medical school in all states where they are not available at present.
He said there is the urgent need to establish the medical schools in both states.
Lending his voice to the motion, President of the Senate Dr Ahmad Lawan, however said the establishment of teaching hospitals is a matter of law, while the establishment of medical schools has to do with government’s policy.
“I can’t see any reason why we can’t have a policy making it mandatory for every state to have a medical school,” he said.