The National Universities Commission (NUC) says it has upgraded some medical-related programmes in the Nigerian universities from Bachelor’s degree to doctoral status.

This is disclosed in a statement signed by the commission’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mrs Franca Chukwuonwo, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

Chukwuonwo said the decision was driven by the need to incorporate more clinical and practical sessions, improve foundational course coverage, enhance clinical skills, and address all specialty areas comprehensively.

She noted that the upgrade aligned with global best practices for training professionals in these fields.

“This quest to upgrade the status of some medical-related programmes from Bachelor’s Degree to Doctor was borne out of the desire to incorporate more clinical/ practical sessions.

“It is to provide sufficient coverage of foundation courses, improve on clinical skills and cover all specialty areas.

“The trend seeks to also align with global best practices applicable in the training of professionals in these medical related programmes.

“Furthermore, the certificates obtained from the Nigerian University System (NUS) can be at par with those obtained in similar programmes from other climes” she said.

She added that it would also ensure the requisite harmonisation, mutuality and global competitiveness of Nigerian graduates in terms of certificates evaluation, employability and further studies in the relevant disciplines.

She listed the programmes upgraded as: Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry.

She added that the duration of the programmes was increased from five to six years to accommodate the additional courses and clinical incorporated into the curriculum.

“The general public and all stakeholders are hereby informed that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme does not exist in the NUC’s BMAS or CCMAS.

“And thus has not been captured as an upgraded programmes. Consequently, DMLS programme is not approved in any university in the country,” she said.

A tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has exploded, killing its driver and injuring one other person in Ibadan.

Mr Yemi Akinyinka, General Manager (GM), Oyo State Fire Service Agency, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan.

He explained that the tanker lost control, rammed into two other trucks, and somersaulted into a nearby pit before bursting into fire.

The GM said the incident resulted in the death of the tanker driver and injured the motor boy.

“The incident happened around Fijabi House, Agbowo, Ojoo/Iwo Road Expressway.

“The agency received a distress call about the fire incident at exactly 2.45 a.m. through a telephone call.

“The service swiftly deployed personnel to the scene and curtailed the fire from spreading to the nearby residential area.

“On arrival, we met three trucks of 20-metre distance from one another involved in the fire incident,

“The driver was burnt to death while the motor boy was rescued alive and taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for treatment,” he said.

Akinyinka stressed that the tanker was utterly destroyed by the fire while the other two trucks were rescued by the agency’s personnel.

“The agency’s Director of Operations, Mr Ismail Adeleke with team members, the police, and some other security agencies were at the scene to prevent a breakdown of law and order,” he said.

The Jigawa government has approved N250 million matching fund for procurement of Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) to combat malnutrition in the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports, Mr Sagir Musa stated this while briefing journalists at the end of the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, on Wednesday in Dutse.

He said the gesture was in furtherance of the agreement between the state government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“Furthermore, in the administration’s effort to strengthen health insurance scheme, the council approved the inclusion of political office holders into the scheme.

“This was provided by the Jigawa State Contributory Health Management Agency (JICHMA) Law No. 02 – 2024, as amended, with a view to improve the universal health coverage in the state and Nigeria at large,” he said

His reiterated commitment of the Umar Namadi administration to combat malnutrition and healthcare service delivery in the state.

The commissioner said the council also approved N3.36 billion loan to the state Pilgrims Board, to enable it to pay for the reservation of 400 Hajj seats for intending pilgrims of the state.

Musa said the approval was in line with council’s satisfaction with the timely refund of N2.2 billion loan granted to the board in 2024.