FG, Osun partner on National Health Fellows Scheme to Boost Primary Health Care



Sunday Okunade
The Federal Government and the Osun State Government have partnered to strengthen health care delivery through the deployment of National Health Fellows (NHFs) across primary health facilities in the country.

The collaboration, aimed at deepening grassroots health services, will see selected health fellows posted to primary health centres in each of the 774 local government areas nationwide to support service delivery and health system management.

Launched by the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2025, the National Health Fellows initiative targets young professionals aged between 25 and 35, who applied online and were rigorously screened, with one candidate selected per local government area.

Speaking during the interview exercise for the second phase of the programme at the Osun State Ministry of Health, Abere, the Commissioner for Health, Barrister Jola Akintola, explained that the programme was designed to groom the fellows as future leaders in the health sector.

According to him, the fellows, drawn from diverse professional backgrounds, will serve in health facilities within their localities for one year, during which they are expected to transfer leadership and management skills acquired to the communities they serve.
Barrister Akintola added that the initiative would help bridge the gap created by inadequate health personnel, while commending outgoing National Health Fellows whose tenure will elapse in March 2026 for their dedication and resilience, the Commissioner appealed to the Federal Government to consider absorbing the fellows into permanent positions, noting that their expertise in data gathering, analysis and health programme implementation would be invaluable to states if retained.

Corroborating the Commissioner, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Isiaka Adekunle, said the NHFs would function as health programme mobilisers, data collectors and analysts, providing evidence-based reports to guide government interventions.

Also speaking, the Sector-wide Approach Programme (SWAP) Desk Officer in Osun, Pharmacist Wole Ajayi, said the interview process was conducted in a transparent and unbiased manner, noting that the panel was made up of representatives from the World Health Organisation, the academic community, traditional institutions, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, among others, in line with federal government guidelines to ensure the selection of the best candidates.
He added that the National Health Fellows would be closely monitored by the SWAP desk office and other assigned mentors to ensure effective coordination and smooth implementation of the programme throughout its duration.

Meanwhile, two of the applicants, Tijani Olawale and Folakanmi Elizabeth, told journalists that they were motivated to apply for the programme because it would enable them to deploy the skills acquired to strengthen primary health care delivery in their communities and ensure that underserved populations are effectively reached.



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