The Federal Government has unveiled a major initiative to train and deploy 70,000 Community-Based Health Workers (CBHWs) across Nigeria’s underserved communities within five years, aiming to transform primary healthcare delivery nationwide.
Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), announced the plan Tuesday at the Continental Community Health Consultation in Abuja, organized by Africa CDC and UNICEF.
“NPHCDA, in collaboration with states and partners, has redesigned the community health programme to provide more relevant services delivered by professionalized community health workers,” Aina stated.
The comprehensive program will deploy one CBHW per 250 households to reach over 160 million Nigerians, providing essential services including immunization, health education, and epidemic surveillance. Eight states have already joined the initiative, with five commencing recruitment, while workers will benefit from specialized training, digital tools, and eventual integration into the civil service system.
UNICEF Nigeria Representative Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef emphasized the program’s transformative potential stating: “Community-based primary health care, led by trained CHWs, has significantly reduced under-five mortality in countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia.”
She highlighted the 10:1 return on investment, urging accelerated action toward Africa’s 2 million CHW target by 2030.
Africa CDC’s Dr. Landry Dongmo Tsague positioned the effort within continental health security goals: “At the heart of the Lusaka Agenda lies the pivotal role of Community Health Workers…essential to delivering Universal Health Coverage.”
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