Universal Health Coverage: Nigeria backs AU’s 2 Million Community Health Workers Drive<\/p>\n
Nigeria\u2019s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako has reaffirmed the country\u2019s commitment to the African Union\u2019s (AU) vision of institutionalizing Community Health Workers (CHWs) as the foundation of primary healthcare delivery across the continent.<\/p>\n
Addressing the African CDC’s 2nd Taskforce Meeting of the Community Health Continental Coordination Mechanism (CCM) Principals at UNICEF Headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dr. Salako conveyed a message of solidarity from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, AU Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership.<\/p>\n
The Minister emphasized that CHWs remain central to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), strengthening health security, and building resilient systems in Africa.<\/p>\n
In a statement by Alaba Balogun, Health Ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Salako recalled the 2017 AU Assembly’s decision, urging member states to prioritize recruitment, training, and integration of CHWs, as well as implement the ambitious initiative of deploying 2 million CHWs across the continent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn August this year, Nigeria hosted the validation of the 2024 community health landscape survey titled Shaping the CHW Strategy, Scorecard and Strategic Action, which was endorsed by member countries for CHW institutionalization, governance, financing, and policy guidance. The speed with which this document has moved to high-level dialogue shows our collective seriousness and commitment,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
The Minister stressed that investing in CHWs translates into investing in prevention, early detection, maternal and child health, and stronger systems capable of withstanding public health threats. \u201cWe must expand training facilities, professionalize their work, create career progression pathways, and fully integrate them into our health systems,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Salako commended the African Union Commission, African CDC, UNICEF, and development partners for supporting the initiative and urged member states to transform commitments into measurable outcomes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe future of community health in Africa depends on our shared resolve, collaboration, and action,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Universal Health Coverage: Nigeria backs AU’s 2 Million Community Health Workers Drive Nigeria\u2019s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako has reaffirmed the country\u2019s commitment to the African Union\u2019s (AU) vision of institutionalizing Community Health Workers (CHWs) as the foundation of primary healthcare delivery across the continent. Addressing the African […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":148679,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[288,356,18],"tags":[2341,2340,157,2086],"class_list":{"0":"post-148678","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-africa","8":"category-health","9":"category-news","10":"tag-au","11":"tag-community-health-workers","12":"tag-nigeria","13":"tag-universal-health-coverage"},"yoast_head":"\n