The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, has revealed that over 65 percent of nurses with first degrees in Nigeria were trained by the university.
The Vice-Chancellor stated this on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 when he launched the NOUN Emergency Health Centre at the Model Study Centre, Dutse-Alhaji, Abuja.
The ceremony marked the commencement of the centres’ at the 39 study centres of the university nationwide, which Prof. Uduma said it was the first phase of the initiative.
The NOUN VC explained that the university will continue to open access to Nigerians, which now transcend to the health aspect.
He said the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria had confirmed that by stating that NOUN has trained 65% of nurses with first degrees in Nigeria.
“It is an ongoing process. All study centres will get these facilities for the students benefits because their lives are highly valued.
“I am happy that the Red Cross is training our staff, ” he said.
Prof. Uduma added that the university management has approved the engagement of some of the nurses as volunteers.
He said the era of students struggling with health issues during examination periods is over, as the facilities will serve the first aid purposes.
He said the Emergency Health Centres will not take over the work of HMOs, but would first ensure the stabilisation of patients before their referrals to the main medical facilities.
Prof. Uduma assured that by August, the number of centres with the facility would double, saying that the university will ensure that all NOUN centres will have it.
He said by doing so, NOUN was fulfilling the federal government’s mandate of taking care of students health, hoping that more students will have additional confidence to join the university.
Earlier, the Head of Clinic of the university, Dr. Hassan Mohamed, explained that the centres will be treating normal cases of patients.
Dr. Mohammed, who said staff are already being trained to handle such emergencies, added that the first aiders are billed to go for more series of trainings in the future.
The emergency health centres, he added, will transfer the cases to the medical centres after their initial treatments.
Dr. Mohammed showed the Vice-Chancellor and his each item and its usage, ranging from medications such as ORS, PCM, Heart related machine, equipment to handle trauma, fridge to store medicine, and the likes.
The Vice-Chancellor was flanked at the launch of the centres by his deputies, Prof. Shehu Adamu and Prof. Christine Ofulue, the Registrar, Mr. Oladipo Ajayi, the bursar, Mal. Nasiru Marafa, the Librarian, Prof. Angela Okpala, the Centre Director, Abuja Model Study Centre, Prof. Nebath Tanglang and other senior university officials.
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