By Muyideen Aliu, Ilorin
Kwara State has, for the first time, secured approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to commence internship training for graduate nurses, marking a major milestone in the state’s healthcare development.
The Executive Secretary of the State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Abdulraheem Malik, announced the breakthrough while commenting on ongoing reforms under the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Dr Malik said the Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, and General Hospital, Offa, have been selected as the pioneer centres for the internship programme.
“This is another strategic move by Governor AbdulRazaq’s administration. It provides a solid academic platform, bridges workforce gaps, and sustains our achievements in the health sector,” he said.
He noted that this development follows a recent similar approval from the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), which now enables the state to train graduate pharmacist interns.
“This level of trust from regulatory bodies is not something we take lightly. We will continue to uphold all conditions that earned us this accreditation,” Malik added.
He called on healthcare stakeholders to stay committed to professionalism and service excellence, stressing that the ultimate objective is to guarantee equitable access to quality healthcare for all residents.
“Kwara has now joined the league of states that train intern pharmacists and intern nurses. We are actively pursuing accreditation for Medical Laboratory Scientists as well,” he revealed.
Also speaking, the Director of Nursing Services, Mrs Oyewole Risikat, encouraged the graduate nurses to take full advantage of the opportunity and meet international standards. She added that the state government has made significant investments in health training facilities to support world-class learning environments.
