President Bola Tinubu has launched the National Health Fellows Programme on Thursday in Abuja, a key initiative under his Renewed Hope Agenda to revitalise Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, REPUBLICAN NIGERIA reports.
Addressing 774 young fellows tasked with monitoring Primary Healthcare Centres across all local government areas, Tinubu declared, “You are hired,” promising employment after their one-year tenure.
The initiative aims to equip young Nigerians with the skills needed to drive meaningful change in the health sector.
Fellows began training on 27 February 2025 under the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) coordination office. Tinubu hailed the fellows as “vanguards of a new era.”
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, reiterated their role in driving innovation and expanding PHCs. “We are proud to see young Nigerians take on this critical role in transforming our health sector,” he said. “These fellows will serve as social accountability agents, ensuring that our healthcare centres are performing optimally. They are the best of the crop, selected from over 60,000 applicants through a rigorous process.”
He emphasised, “This programme is a game-changer, providing training, fieldwork, and mentorship over 12 months. It requires a full-time commitment, and fellows will receive a stipend to support their participation and living expenses.”
The programme is part of a broader initiative to upgrade existing primary healthcare centres and construct over 8,800 new ones across the country. “We believe these young leaders will be catalysts for change in their communities,” the Minister added.
As part of the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) coordination office, the fellows will be equipped with tools to drive positive change in healthcare. The Minister noted, “We are committed to strengthening our nation’s healthcare system by empowering young Nigerians to become leaders in their communities.”
The programme also aligns with the National Health Act 2014, which mandates annual health reports. The
Minister highlighted recent progress in maternal mortality reduction initiatives, particularly in priority local government areas.
Pate emphasised the importance of this programme: “These are future leaders of the health sector who will accelerate the pace of health sector reforms, improve accountability, but also get the opportunity to be coached and mentored. So, they are contributing to actualizing the vision of the President for a prosperous country that is also healthy.”
The Minister further advised the fellows, “So, the President is giving you this as an opportunity. So what do you do with an opportunity? You seize it. Build yourself. Learn. You have coaches, mentors who guide you. Particularly mentors in primary health care. Participate in the synchronous planning. Think deeply about your interest.”
He noted that the programme underscores the federal government’s commitment to investing in human capital development, aligning with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for health reforms. The Minister highlighted the merit-based selection process, which included over 359,000 applicants, with a significant representation of women and men from each local government area.
The programme aims to strengthen the nation’s healthcare system by equipping young Nigerians to become catalysts for change in their communities. Minister Pate encouraged the fellows to view their training as an opportunity to develop leadership traits of honesty, courage, and resilience.
