AU appoints Tinubu as healthcare champion

A statement issued on Friday, February 16, by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said that President Tinubu became AU’s choice for the appointment because of his ambitious, innovative, and people-focused efforts in the sector.

According to the statement, among other reasons, President Tinubu’s commitment to training 120,000 front line healthcare workers within a period of 16 months and the resolve to double the presence of primary healthcare facilities across all council areas of the federation, from 8,800 to over 17,000 positioned him as the right man.

“President Bola Tinubu has been appointed as the African Union (AU) Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership against the backdrop of his ambitious, innovative, and people-focused efforts in the sector.

“In recognition of President Tinubu’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 over 17,000 over the next three years; his doubling of health personnel enrollment capacity from accredited nursing and midwifery institutions to accommodate the new demand created by new facilities across Nigeria, and his resolve to establish a paid volunteer youth force of social accountability officers to monitor the operational functioning and financial integrity of primary health centres, the African Union has identified the Nigerian leader as the right champion for this noble and actionable continental effort.

“The Commission of the African Union (Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention — Africa CDC) in a letter to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said President Tinubu was appointed on the recommendation of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of Africa CDC, under the leadership of His Excellency, President Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union.

“In his new role, the Commission subsequently invited President Tinubu to address the Ministerial Executive Leadership Programme (MELP) under the theme, ‘Impactful leadership in health: a whole government approach’, billed for Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Africa CDC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the margins of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government.

“The Tinubu administration is attracting global investments in Nigeria’s health sector for the provision of cutting-edge infrastructure, equipment, and world-class manpower for improved access to quality healthcare by all Nigerians”, the statement said.