President Bola Tinubu has approved automatic employment for 774 participants in the national health programme.
Speaking during the programme’s presidential launch in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the President addressed the young fellows assigned to oversee Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across all 774 local government areas. Tinubu affirmed their employment, stating, “You are hired,” and assured them of permanent roles following their one-year tenure.
“The Coordinating Minister and the champion of this program have requested approval and luckily the Minister of Finance is here also.
“This programme is designed to expose you to best practices and keep you of the knowledge and skill to transform the sector. Healthcare is a critical pillar of national development, no country can prosper if its people are unhealthy and unsustainable health programmes are a precise danger. Sustainable development is only possible with a strong healthcare system and you are the pillars.”
Friday’s announcement came after the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate urged federal, state, and local governments to integrate the fellows into the workforce to support universal health coverage.
The national health fellows scheme is designed to drive meaningful change with innovation in the health sector, with the fellows selected on merit-based criteria from over 359,000 applicants.
The programme is a key initiative under his renewed hope agenda to revitalize Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.