**Medicine: MDCN Boosts UniAbuja Admission Slots from 75 to 200**

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has sanctioned an expansion of the intake capacity for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program at the University of Abuja, raising the number of available slots from 75 to 200.

The Acting Director of Information and University Relations at the institution, Dr. Habib Yakubu, stated in a release that the declaration was issued by the Registrar of the Council, Professor Fatima Kyari, after an extensive and impartial reaccreditation process carried out by a panel of 17 MDCN representatives at the university.

Kyari praised the university for working to enhance its infrastructure but noted that more progress was needed in several critical areas such as expanding the pool and expertise of facilitators, upgrading pathology laboratories, improving transport systems, and strengthening assistance with clinical training.

She stated, "Discussing quotas means focusing on resource-dependent carrying capacity. This re-accreditation team consists of carefully chosen experts whose evaluations have been impartial, comprehensive, and helpful."

"Now, let me provide some clarity: for a quota of 150, you require 450 bed spaces for clinical students, but at present, you only have 360. If increased to 200, you would then need 600 beds. However, we aim to support your goals for expansion." "Our country requires more physicians. As the capital city, Abuja must take the lead and meet this challenge head-on. Therefore, we're approving an allocation of 200," she continued.

She emphasized that the Council would keep a robust oversight role to guarantee ongoing adherence and would assist the University in strengthening its capabilities and facilities.

We’re not simply here to highlight what you possess or what’s missing. Our purpose is to motivate the University to continue striving until every requirement has been fulfilled.

According to the MDCN Registrar, increasing the quota supports the federal government’s wider objective of broadening access to medical training and tackling the country’s lack of physicians.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare has unveiled an ambitious four-part plan through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII). Central to this strategy is enhancing the nation’s healthcare workforce—from education to retention—as the key driver for reaching universal health coverage and better health results for every Nigerian.

Our work followed established guidelines covering aspects such as infrastructure sufficiency, quality of academic staff, availability of resources per student, extent of clinical training opportunities, and the general management framework of the medical institution. Additionally, we acknowledge both the President’s strategic direction and today’s pressing national demand for expanding education capacity due to critical gaps in healthcare staffing; however, increasing output should not compromise either public wellbeing or the maintenance of high practitioner capabilities.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patricia Manko Lar, conveyed her gratitude to the MDCN for conducting the re-accreditation process in her reply.

Lar stated, "The happiness we experience about this news knows no bounds. We kept every door open—there were absolutely no attempts at concealment. Our team gave their utmost effort, and the positive input provided by the MDCN will motivate us to reach for an even greater level of excellence."

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