Medicine: MDCN Raises UniAbuja Admission Quota from 75 to 200

UniAbuja

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has officially increased the University of Abuja’s medical admission quota from 75 to 200, following a comprehensive re-accreditation exercise.

According to a statement by the Acting Director of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, the announcement was made by the MDCN Registrar, Professor Fatima Kyari. She explained that the decision followed a rigorous and impartial evaluation by a 17-member team of seasoned professionals from the Council.

“When we talk about quota, we mean resource-based carrying capacity,” Kyari stated. “The team selected for this re-accreditation is made up of carefully chosen professionals. Their assessments were thorough, objective, and constructive.”

To put things in perspective, Kyari added, “A quota of 150 requires 450 clinical bed spaces—you currently have 360. For 200 students, 600 beds are needed. But we want to support your growth trajectory. The country needs more doctors, and as the nation’s capital, Abuja must rise to the occasion. That’s why we are granting you 200.”

She emphasized that the Council would closely monitor the University’s progress to ensure continuous compliance and would support efforts to expand infrastructure and capacity.

“We’re not just here to highlight what’s available or missing,” Kyari said. “We’re here to motivate the University to keep striving toward full compliance with set standards.”

The Registrar explained that the quota increase aligns with the federal government’s broader mission to expand access to medical education and address the country’s doctor shortage.

“The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare has launched a bold four-point agenda under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII),” she noted. “At its core is the drive to build a stronger health workforce—from training to retention—as a foundation for achieving universal health coverage and better health outcomes nationwide.”

She added that the evaluation was based on existing standards, including infrastructure, faculty strength, student-resource ratios, clinical exposure, and governance of the medical school. While supporting the national push to train more healthcare professionals, she stressed that quality and patient safety must never be compromised.

In her response, Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Manko Lar expressed heartfelt gratitude to the MDCN.

“Our joy at this announcement is immeasurable,” Lar said. “We were transparent throughout the process—nothing was hidden. We gave it our all, and the MDCN’s constructive feedback will drive us to reach even greater heights.”

Daily Trust

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