By Abujah Racheal
The Federal Ministry of Health has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the GE Healthcare and JNC International, to enhance biomedical engineering training in the country.
The partnership seeks to reduce medical tourism by offering world class training locally, while also positioning Nigeria as a hub for biomedical engineering excellence in Africa.
At the signing event on Wednesday in Abuja, Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, lauded GE Healthcare and JNC International for their commitment towards advancing biomedical education.
Alausa said the partnership would help to reduce high cost of training students abroad and conserve foreign exchange.
“This partnership marks a major step forward in our efforts to revolutionise healthcare.
“We are investing heavily in ensuring that our biomedical engineering schools are fully accredited and equipped to offer world class training.
“This will not only improve healthcare outcomes but also enable Nigeria to train more engineers domestically, attracting international students as well,” he said.
Mrs Clare Omatseye, Head of JNC International, said the collaboration would integrate practical, hands-on experience with modern technology to provide Nigerian students with the needed skills to succeed in the healthcare sector.
“This MoU is a testament to the government’s commitment to upgrading biomedical engineering, and we look forward to working together to reverse the trend of medical tourism,” she noted.
According to Omatseye, the partnership will bring practical training into Nigerian schools, attracting students from African continent and beyond.
“Our goal is to train not just today’s biomedical engineers but to inspire future generations to see Nigeria as a destination for high-quality education.”
Also speaking, Dr George Uduku, Head of GE Healthcare in Nigeria, expressed excitement about the opportunity to train young engineers, adding that, “at GE Healthcare, we recognise the importance of having skilled professionals behind every piece of equipment.
“This initiative will ensure that Nigerian engineers have real-world experience to support the country’s healthcare transformation”.
Mrs Daju Kachalom, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, said that the gesture was part of the government’s broader strategy to invest in healthcare infrastructure, with the highest-ever budget allocation for the health sector.
Kachalom said the partnership would ensure value for money in the procurement and maintenance of medical equipment.
On his part, Kayode Sunday, hHad of the Lagos Biomedical Engineering School, commended the initiative, adding that it would significantly reduce the cost associated with training engineers abroad.
“We are thrilled to see that more students will benefit from this partnership without needing to leave Nigeria for such training”.