The Vice-Chancellor of Northwest University, Kano (NWUK), Prof. Amina Salihi Bayero, has sought Federal Government support for the establishment of a Kano Renewed Hope National Centre of Excellence for Women’s, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (KARMRAD) at the university.
Prof. Bayero made the request during a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure, in Abuja.
The Vice-Chancellor presented the university’s proposal for the centre and explored areas of collaboration and possible government intervention in the institution’s development.
According to the proposal, the centre is envisioned as a regional hub for women’s, maternal, newborn and child health, combining medical education, biomedical and translational research, healthcare innovation, digital health, clinical simulation, professional training and community engagement.
The university said the initiative is designed to address challenges contributing to maternal, newborn and child mortality, including shortages of skilled health professionals, inadequate research infrastructure and limited access to specialist healthcare services.
The proposed facility will include an Institute of Women’s, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Medical Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre, Biomedical Research and Innovation Complex, Digital Medical Education Centre and Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub.
Other components include a Telemedicine and Community Outreach Centre, Nutrition and Child Development Centre, Central Instrumentation Facility, and Digital Library and Knowledge Resource Centre.
The university projected that the centre would train more than 5,000 healthcare professionals, support over 3,000 students annually, conduct more than 100 community outreach programmes and establish over 30 research collaborations.
It is also expected to attract at least 10 competitive research grants and expand access to healthcare services through telemedicine, digital health and community-based interventions.
The university said the project would require an investment running into hundreds of millions of naira, covering infrastructure, biomedical laboratories, scientific equipment, medical simulation facilities, ICT infrastructure, telemedicine, capacity building and project management.
Prof. Bayero also sought the minister’s support for other institutional development initiatives and Federal Government interventions aimed at strengthening Northwest University, Kano.
Responding, Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure expressed her willingness to support the university’s development initiatives and pledged to facilitate appropriate assistance and collaboration within the scope of her office.
The Vice-Chancellor appreciated the minister for receiving the delegation and supporting initiatives aimed at advancing education, research and healthcare development.
The university said the proposed centre would position Northwest University, Kano as a regional centre of excellence in medical education, biomedical research and health innovation, while contributing to improved maternal, newborn and child health outcomes in Kano, the North-West and Nigeria.