Nasarawa Selects 13 Health Fellows to Strengthen Rural Primary Healthcare
Oluwafunbi Bello 
NASARAWA, Nigeria – Nasarawa State selects 13 health fellows to strengthen primary healthcare delivery in rural communities, following a highly competitive screening exercise concluded in Lafia this week.
The successful candidates emerge from the National Health Fellows 2.0 Programme, a joint initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the World Health Organisation (WHO), designed to close persistent gaps in grassroots healthcare delivery.
Confirming the development on Tuesday, the state’s Sector-Wide Approach Desk Officer, Annah Joshua, says the fellows will serve across all 13 local government areas, driving community-based health interventions.
“The programme targets young Nigerians with diverse professional backgrounds who can apply innovation and data-driven solutions to local health challenges,” Joshua says. “A key requirement is that fellows must live within their host communities to ensure trust, ownership and sustainability.”
The two-day interview process draws nominees from every local council, with candidates evaluated by a multi-sector panel comprising federal and state health officials, WHO representatives, academics, traditional leaders and veteran health practitioners.
Representing Joshua at the briefing, Dr Ahmed Rabiu, Dean of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences at the Federal University of Lafia, describes the process as transparent and rigorous.
“We conducted face-to-face interviews to ensure fairness and credibility. Selection is strictly merit-based,” Rabiu says.
Nationwide, the programme attracts about 150,000 applicants for fewer than 800 slots, underscoring growing youth interest in public health leadership.
The newly selected fellows will undergo specialised training before deployment, focusing on evidence-based planning, community engagement and health systems strengthening.
WHO officials say the initiative aligns with global efforts to reinforce primary healthcare as the foundation of universal health coverage.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Hussaini Ibrahim 