The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has pleaded with health workers in the diaspora to return to their home country.
Tinubu made the call on Tuesday when he unveiled Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative at the State House, Abuja.
The president claimed that by making significant expenditures and increasing funding for the sector in the planned 2024 budget, his administration was prioritising and enhancing Nigeria’s health system.
He pleaded to health workers working abroad to “sacrifice their time to come back home and serve their people.”
In the same vein, he begged nations that were poaching Nigerian medical professionals to consider Nigeria’s interests.
Tinubu outlined plans for a thorough redesign of the physical infrastructure, equipment, and frontline health worker retraining beginning in 2024, describing health as a fundamental human right.
“Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Care Coverage is reflected in the unwavering dedication of my administration to uphold this right for every individual, young or old, in rural or urban areas,” he said.
The Tuesday event was a part of the celebration of Universal Health Coverage Day, which is observed on December 12 every year.
The Health Renewal Compact was also signed by the federal, state, and development partners during the event.
Tinubu said, “Delivering improved quality health is an underpinning factor in my promise of Renewed Hope to Nigerians. That hope is ignited here today with the support of all multilateral partners and agencies; health is back on the front burner.
“This occasion marks an opportunity for collective reflection and action as we recommit ourselves to the noble pursuit of health for all.”