President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been crowned by the African Union as a new Champion for Human Resources, Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership. Accordingly, the Nigerian leader will be addressing participants at the ministerial executive leadership programme by tomorrow Saturday, February 17, 2024. The news was issued in a statement today by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, Ajuri Ngelale , titled ‘President Tinubu appointed as AU Champion for health’.
According to Nglale, “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”.
The African Union commission, (Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention- Africa CDC) conveyed the appointment to the Nigerian president in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying Tinubu was appointed on the recommendation of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of Africa CDC, under the leadership of Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union.
Africa CDC revealed it recognises Tinubu’s effort in doubling of health personnel enrolment 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 statement reads, “The African Union has identified the Nigerian leader as the right champion for this noble and actionable continental effort”.
In discharge of his ne appointment role, Tinubu has been pencilled to address the Ministerial Executive Leadership Programme under the theme; ‘Impactful leadership in health: a whole government approach’, billed to hold during the 37th ordinary season at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa Saturday, February, 17, 2024, at the CDCs office.
