There is no value in governance when the people are sick. Hence, it made a lot of sense when the president appointed health fellows for the local government areas of the country.

That means we have 774 young men and women who will serve as soldiers of wellbeing. They will be the ears, eyes, brains and footmen and women of healthcare. In that wise, they are also healthcare intelligence officers. They will provide input to services and be wingmen and women of doctors, nurses and other health officers in the local areas.

Healthcare suffers the most in rural settings. They lack some of the basic healthcare services, especially for a developing country like Nigeria ravaged with water-borne and air-borne afflictions, and where childbirth that should usher joy to families has become, in many cases, instances of mourning.

Experts have always identified ignorance and diseases as banes of a society, especially among the poor. Yet one leads to the other, especially ignorance becoming a mother of disease.

In appointing the young men, the following criteria were followed. They must be between the ages of 25 and 35. They must have a bachelor’s degree in health-related, IT, or social sciences. They must have demonstrable interest/or experience in public health or health-related NGO and partner organisations, or community projects that demonstrate leadership and initiative. They must be available to participate full-time in the fellowship programme, must be an indigene of the state being applied for, must possess smartphones with data capabilities i.e. for WhatsApp, Zoom, etc. They must also have recommendation from a university dean or National Youth Service Corps place of primary assignment, or a respected organisation, demonstrating character and leadership. They also must demonstrate analytical skills and entrepreneurial drive.

“I am here to inform you that the social movement to improve the health of Nigerians has begun, and we are already witnessing positive results,” remarked Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, minister of health and social services.

The exercise to pick the 774 persons must have been rigorous as over 360,000 young men and women applied across the country.

Your selection is more than a recruitment; it proves our commitment to creating a nation where equal opportunities are available to every Nigerian, irrespective of social status, gender, or creed. You are this country’s greatest asset, and we are committed to fostering a bright future where Nigeria stands as a nation of pride for all,” President Bola Tinubu affirmed.

As soldiers of wellbeing, the health fellows carry a burden not only of a nation at large but a torch of a generation. The fellows are youths, and they will help the young and old. It is an investment in energy, empathy, ambition and the vitality of idealism.

But they are going to operate in tandem with the unveiling of health infrastructure across the country. One of such is primary healthcare facilities.

For instance, Professor Pate once asserted that, at the primary health care level, through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with the states, his ministry has outlined a plan to revive 8,300 primary health care centres across the nation to make them fully functional and to expand and upgrade them to 17,000 primary health care centres over the next three years. At least 1,400 primary health care centres are now equipped to provide skilled birth attendance.

The fellows are not the only persons given the task to discharge health care. In September, 2024, his ministry announced the commitment to retrain 120,000 frontline health workers. This is part of a three-year agenda.

With their skill and youth, we expect them to make their mark. (The Nation Editorial)