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As part of efforts towards repositioning the nation’s health sector to meet the growing population demand, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday announced his plan to set up a regional coordinating centre for Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa- CDC), and the upgrade of a dental college to a full-fledged university.
The President made these disclosures in statements issued and signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
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According to Mr Ngelale, as the African Union (AU) Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, Mr Tinubu is committed to providing sound leadership for the health sector on the continent of Africa.
Similarly, the President’s spokesperson said the upgrade of the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, to a University of Allied Health Sciences, is aimed at combating the biting consequences of the brain drain within the nation’s health sector.
The President promised to “double the number of primary health facilities in local communities across all local government areas of the federation from 8,800 presently to over 17,000 over the next three years, and is doubling the number of health personnel graduating from accredited nursing and midwifery institutions over the next three years.”
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The two statements issued by Mr Ngelale are reproduced below:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES SETTING UP OF REGIONAL COORDINATING CENTRE OF AFRICA-CDC IN NIGERIA
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Regional Coordinating Centre (RCC) of the Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa-CDC) in Nigeria.
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President Tinubu is the African Union (AU) Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership.
The President’s approval of the siting of the Centre in Abuja is part of his larger effort to convey Nigeria’s commitment to regional and global health security, while promoting local economic opportunities in the health care delivery value chain and enhancing Nigeria’s and West Africa’s collective capacity to respond promptly to outbreaks which is vital to the overall well-being and stability of the African continent.
The Centre will also bring with it enormous socio-economic benefits in the form of enhancing aggregate national productivity and reversing human capacity drain, even as the ability of indigenous medical professionals and scientists will be bolstered to respond adequately to old, recent, and emerging diseases, not only in Nigeria, but across the continent.
PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES UPGRADE OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF DENTAL TECHNOLOGY TO UNIVERSITY
As part of his dedicated efforts to build robust human resources for the health and social welfare sector, President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, to a full-fledged University of Allied Health Sciences.
The Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy in Enugu will now be known as the Federal University of Allied Health Sciences, Enugu, and will be domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
This presidential directive comes at a time when President Tinubu, who doubles as the African Union (AU) Champion for Human Resources for Health, is set to train 120,000 frontline health workers nationwide within 16 months; to double the number of primary health facilities in local communities across all local government areas of the federation from 8,800 presently to over 17,000 over the next three years, and is doubling the number of health personnel graduating from accredited nursing and midwifery institutions over the next three years in order to meet the aspirations of Nigerians for accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services across the nation.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 14, 2024
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