Health fellows programme reaches 700 communities, FG says
- The National Health Fellows Programme has placed young Nigerians in more than 700 communities to fix primary healthcare gaps.
- Projects include solar vaccine storage in Benue, lab upgrades in Akwa Ibom and cholera prevention work in Borno.
- The Federal Government set up the 12-month fellowship in 2025 and says it drew over 400,000 applications.
Young Nigerians recruited under a federal health fellowship are working in more than 700 communities, fixing problems that range from unreliable power at clinics to poor disease awareness, the government has said.
The National Health Fellows Programme, started by the Federal Government in 2025, puts participants through 12 months of training, mentorship and practical work. Each fellow is expected to spot a health problem in their own community and help solve it.
Dr Ashiru Abubakar, technical assistant to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare on sector-wide approach, said the results show what young people can add to primary healthcare. The fellows, he said, are turning what they learned into practical answers to local health problems.
What the fellows are doing
The projects touch different parts of the country and different problems.
- In Gboko, Benue State, a fellow is helping a primary healthcare centre get solar-powered storage for vaccines, so that power cuts do not spoil them.
- In Idumuje-Unor, Delta State, another fellow is working on solar power for a primary healthcare facility.
- At Iyame Primary Health Centre in Ondo State, a fellow is rallying the community and pushing for essential medical equipment.
- Laboratories in Op Base, Okoroete and Iko Town in Akwa Ibom State are being upgraded.
- In Oke-Agogo, Oyo State, a facility is getting a waiting shelter and solar streetlight.
- In Goniri, Borno State, a fellow is teaching safe water practices and cholera prevention.
- In Jos South, Plateau State, a fellow is helping people with suspected tuberculosis get referred for proper care.
- In Essien Udim, Akwa Ibom State, the focus is screening for non-communicable diseases.
One of the fellows, Abubakar Hamza, said the programme sharpened his leadership, teamwork and data skills, and taught him how to work with communities and other stakeholders.
The scheme has drawn more than 400,000 applications across two cohorts, according to the government.
Why it matters
Primary healthcare centres are the first stop for most Nigerian families, especially in rural areas. When they lack power, equipment or staff, common illnesses go untreated and vaccine doses can be wasted. Small fixes at that level can save families long trips to bigger hospitals and money they can hardly spare.
The government says the fellowship is meant to build a pool of young Nigerians who understand health problems at the grassroots and can help solve them.
What happens next will depend on whether the projects are sustained after each fellow's 12 months end, and whether more communities are added in future cohorts.
