Salako: Diaspora Health Initiative Reaches 10,000 Nigerians, Trains 2,000 Health Workers
The Federal Government has commended Nigerian health professionals living abroad for their outstanding contributions to improving healthcare delivery through the 2026 Nigeria Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (NDHII), which has provided medical services to nearly 10,000 Nigerians nationwide.
Speaking at the 2026 National Diaspora Merit Award Dinner and Closing Ceremony of the NDHII at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the initiative as a remarkable demonstration of patriotism and a clear example of how diaspora expertise can accelerate the transformation of Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
The Minister congratulated the award recipients and praised thousands of Nigerian healthcare professionals who voluntarily returned from different parts of the world to offer specialist medical services, perform surgeries, mentor local healthcare workers, and strengthen health systems across the country.
According to Dr. Salako, medical teams from organisations including the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD), Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG), Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), Nigerian Australian Medical Doctors Association (NAMDA), Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa, Nigerian Medical Association Germany, Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK, and the Concerned Medics Foundation participated in the initiative across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
He disclosed that the programme directly benefited nearly 10,000 Nigerians through specialist consultations, surgeries, diagnostic services, telemedicine, sickle cell screening, and other healthcare interventions, while more than 2,000 frontline health workers received training to improve healthcare delivery beyond the duration of the medical missions.
Highlighting the achievements of the initiative, the Minister said over 1,000 frontline health workers were trained in the Safer Births Bundle of Care in Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto States. He added that more than 4,000 medical consultations and over 500 surgeries were carried out in Enugu, Imo, and Abia States, while advanced procedures in interventional radiology, neurosurgery, and endoscopy were performed in Lagos. Other interventions included ultrasound-based diagnosis training for endometriosis in Edo State and expanded telemedicine and primary healthcare services in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.
Dr. Salako reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with Nigerian health professionals in the diaspora by simplifying licensing procedures, facilitating locum arrangements, supporting customs and visa waivers for medical missions, and encouraging investments in hospitals, diagnostic centres, and pharmaceutical industries.
He noted that although Nigeria has experienced the migration of healthcare professionals over the years, the Tinubu administration is implementing reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at improving healthcare financing, infrastructure, workforce welfare, and professional development while deepening partnerships with Nigerians abroad.
The Minister also called for sustained collaboration beyond annual medical missions through telemedicine, digital health, structured training partnerships, joint clinical research, technology transfer, public-private partnerships, and diaspora-led investments.
He urged healthcare professionals abroad to register on the newly launched Nigerians in Diaspora Advanced Health Programme (NiDAH) Portal and the Diaspora Health Registry, describing the platform as a structured gateway for diaspora experts to contribute to Nigeria’s healthcare development.
Dr. Salako stressed that the country’s healthcare system would continue to improve through stronger collaboration between Nigerians at home and those in the diaspora. He also commended the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, her team, members of the joint planning committee, state governments, and development partners for the successful implementation of the initiative.
