The Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Health and key development partners, have commenced the state-level screening of candidates for the second phase of the National Health Fellows Initiative.
The screening exercise, which forms part of the Federal Government’s National Health Fellows (NHF) 2.0 Selection Programme, began on 12 January and will run until 16 January 2026, simultaneously across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking on the initiative, the Desk Officer for the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) of the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Obianuju Okoye, said the programme was designed to select one Health Fellow from each local government area in Anambra State.
She explained that the initiative seeks to improve frontline healthcare services while developing a new generation of leaders equipped to drive health sector reforms in Nigeria.
“The National Health Fellows Initiative is about strengthening service delivery at the primary healthcare level and building a sustainable leadership pipeline for the health sector,” Okoye said.
In Anambra State, the screening exercise is taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) office within the Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex in Awka, the state capital.
The screening panel comprises senior health and government officials, including the Anambra State Coordinator of the World Health Organisation, Dr Mohammed Bonos; the SWAp Desk Officer, Dr Obianuju Okoye; and the Mayor of Aguata Local Government Area, Chibueze Oforbuike.
Other panel members include Dr Uche Umeh of the Department of Community Medicine, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, as well as representatives of the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Anambra State Ministry of Health.
The National Health Fellows Initiative is expected to play a key role in revitalising Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, improving health policy implementation at the grassroots level and enhancing access to quality healthcare services in communities across Anambra State and the country as a whole.