The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has granted final full accreditation to the College of Medicine of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo, clearing the institution to graduate medical students.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, received the news during a visit by the Registrar of the council, Prof. Fatimah Kyari, and members of the accreditation team at the Government House in Osogbo.
Reacting to the development, Adeleke described the accreditation as a major milestone for the state-owned university and pledged continued support to strengthen the institution’s capacity for medical education and research.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke welcomed the decision and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to advancing tertiary education in the state.
Earlier, the MDCN Registrar, Prof. Kyari, who was represented by the Deputy Registrar, Dr. Nnaemeka Nwakanma, commended the Osun State Government for providing the facilities and equipment required for the accreditation exercise.
Nwakanma noted that the College of Medicine achieved the milestone within seven years, describing the feat as remarkable.
“This team has just approved and granted final full accreditation to the medical school. It didn’t come easy,” he said.
He explained that since its establishment in 1963, the council had maintained strict standards in regulating the training of medical professionals to ensure they meet global best practices.
Highlighting the criteria used in determining admission quotas for medical schools, Nwakanma said manpower availability, infrastructure, laboratory capacity and hospital facilities were key considerations.
He added that the council had approved an admission quota of 150 medical students for UNIOSUN, placing the university on the same level as some of Nigeria’s leading institutions.
“Until three months ago, Obafemi Awolowo University admission quota was 100, which was what was approved for UNIOSUN in 2023.
“University of Lagos, which was established in the 1960s, still maintains an admission quota of 150 for medical students despite decades of existence. The University of Ibadan, the oldest university in Nigeria, has a quota capacity of 180 though it currently limits its intake to 120,” he explained.
Nwakanma said the council decided to increase UNIOSUN’s quota in recognition of the significant investments made by the state government in the university’s medical training facilities.
Responding, Governor Adeleke expressed satisfaction with the development and assured the council that his administration would continue to support the university.
He revealed that plans were underway to further expand the institution’s capacity, promising that the admission quota for medicine and related programmes would double before the next accreditation exercise.
The governor also raised concerns about the growing brain drain in the country’s health sector, popularly referred to as the “Japa syndrome,” noting that Nigeria must improve working conditions to retain its skilled professionals.
“When you go to the biggest hospitals in the UK, America and elsewhere in Europe, Nigerians are among the best professionals you will find there. It is largely because there is no conducive working environment for them in Nigeria. We must work together to reverse the trend,” Adeleke said.
The university has in recent years strengthened its medical training infrastructure, including the establishment of the Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital in Osogbo.
The facility was donated by renowned businesswoman and philanthropist, Mrs. Folorunso Alakija, and has since been handed over to the university’s management.
According to a statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, the formal handover ceremony took place at Famfa Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The UNIOSUN delegation to the event was led by the Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Wale Oladipo, and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Clement Adebooye.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Managing Director of Famfa Oil, Dele Alakija, who represented the donor family, expressed gratitude to God and commended the university for its commitment to advancing healthcare and medical education in Nigeria.
