The Bill seeking to establish the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo Teaching Hospital, sponsored by the senator representing Benue South senatorial district and the Senate Minority Leader, Comrade Abba Moro, was on Wednesday passed into law by the Senate.
This was revealed in a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Emmanuel Eche’Ofun John.
The statement said that the bill passed First and Second Readings on October 8, 2025 and November 18, 2025 respectively and a public hearing organied for it on July 9, 2026 by the Senate Committee on Health, Secondary and Tertiary.
Submitting its report to the Senate on Wednesday, the chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Secondary and Tertiary, Senator Dr. Ipalibo Henry Banigo, said that the committee considered all the contributions by the relevant stakeholders and recommended that the bill be passed into law.
The bill was subjected to clause-by-clause considerations and eventually passed into law.
With the passage and anticipated concurrence by the House of Representatives, the Amendment Act will be passed to the President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his assent.
Visibly excited, Senator Moro thanked the leadership of the Senate and his colleagues for the speedy passage of the bill, stressing that the bill was not merely about creating another federal institution, but about strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system, advancing medical education, expanding research and improving access to quality healthcare services for millions of Nigerians, particularly the people of Benue South.
The senator said that the establishment of a teaching hospital was a natural and necessary progression for a specialised institution like the University of Health Sciences, Otukpo.
He expressed optimism that, like his other bills, the current bill would secure presidential assent.
The teaching hospital, when fully established, will provide the environment for the training of medical students, resident doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals while simultaneously delivering specialised healthcare services to the public.
Beyond its educational mandate, the hospital will significantly reduce the burden on existing tertiary health institutions by bringing advanced healthcare services closer to the people.
It will also improve emergency response capacity, create employment opportunities for the people, attract investments in healthcare infrastructure, stimulate research collaborations and contribute meaningfully to national health security.
