President Bola Tinubu has been appointed the African Union (AU) Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership for his ambitious, innovative, and people-focused efforts in the sector.
Tinubu’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Ngelale said the appointment was conveyed through a letter from the African Union Commission to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
AU recognised the president’s commitment to train 120,000 frontline health workers nationwide within 16 months and to double the number of primary health facilities in communities across all local government areas of the federation from 8,800 to more than 17,000 over the next three years.
Others include his pledge to double the number of health personnel enrolled in accredited nursing and midwifery institutions to meet the new demand created by new facilities across Nigeria, as well as his intention to establish a paid volunteer youth force of social accountability officers to monitor the operational functioning and financial integrity of primary health care facilities.
Ngelale said the AU praised these initiatives, recognising them as “actionable continental efforts” that align with the organization’s goals for improved healthcare across Africa.
In his new role, Tinubu will address the Ministerial Executive Leadership Programme (MELP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, February 17.
He will speak on the theme of “Impactful leadership in health: a whole government approach,” sharing his insights and strategies with other African leaders.
The presidential spokesman added that the Tinubu administration’s focus on healthcare is attracting global investment, with the aim of providing cutting-edge infrastructure, equipment, and skilled personnel for improved access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
