The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says the National Health Fellows (NHF) programme is strengthening service delivery in FCT Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) through improved data management.
Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, made the statement on Monday during the interview of candidates for the programme’s second cohort in Abuja.
The first cohort of the NHF, inaugurated in early 2025, was designed to transform the nation’s primary healthcare system. The programme aims to cultivate a new generation of healthcare leaders capable of driving innovation and social accountability across the country’s 774 local government areas.
Fasawe said the initiative had not only improved data management in PHCs over the past year but also strengthened manpower and overall service delivery.
“The fellows have, over the past year, played a key role in making healthcare planning more efficient through effective data collection and transmission, ensuring feedback is faster and more reliable in the FCT.
“The fellows are now handling responsibilities that would normally require doctors, matrons or senior supervisors,” she said.
She explained that the fellows undergo intensive training and are deliberately selected from within the communities they serve, a move that enhances acceptance and impact.
The mandate secretary appealed for increased allocation of fellows to the FCT in the second cohort to help bridge the shortage of health personnel.
“Human resources in health is a major concern. Initiatives like this gladden our hearts, but we need more to support primary healthcare delivery,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary in the secretariat, Dr Babagana Adam, also noted the impact of the NHF programme, stressing that the FCT Administration was working to expand the number of fellows to 18 for better coverage.
“We believe in this programme. That is why we are asking for more fellows to serve the people better,” he said.
Adam disclosed that the FCT Administration had made progress in upgrading more than 300 PHCs across the six area councils, while improvements under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund were ongoing.
On health insurance, he said the FCT had exceeded its target by enrolling over 36,000 residents, surpassing the 25,000 goal.
Also speaking, Dr Mary Brentwell, World Health Organization Team Lead for Health Systems and Services, lauded the credible and transparent selection process of the NHF programme.
Earlier, Dr Teresa Nwachukwu, acting Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics and Sector-Wide Approach Desk Officer in the FCT, said the programme was designed to groom young leaders for primary healthcare. She described the selection process as “seamless” and free of godfatherism, stressing that candidates were selected purely on merit.
She added that six fellows would be selected from the 18 shortlisted candidates in the FCT.
“The fellows are expected to identify gaps in primary healthcare delivery, collect and analyze data, and link community challenges with area councils, state and national authorities for timely solutions,” Nwachukwu said.
