By Saminu Ibrahim
Nigeria has hosted the official launch of the Community Health Programme Continental Acceleration Plan 2026–2030, an initiative targeting the recruitment of two million community health workers across 51 African countries by 2030.
The plan, launched by President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, seeks to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, expand access to essential health services and build resilient community health systems across Africa.
Tinubu, who serves as the African Union Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, is expected to provide leadership in advancing the continental initiative.
Speaking at the event, Shettima described community health workers as indispensable to achieving universal health coverage, noting their contributions to identifying maternal health risks, reaching unvaccinated children, collecting household health data and detecting disease outbreaks.
He called for the legal recognition, regular remuneration, adequate support and equitable deployment of community health workers, stressing that sustainable primary healthcare delivery depended on a properly supported workforce.
The Vice President disclosed that Nigeria would require an estimated 315,000 community health workers by 2030.
He said the Federal Government was committed to addressing the manpower gap through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which includes plans to revitalise more than 17,000 primary healthcare centres, train 120,000 frontline health workers and employ 100,000 salaried community health workers by the end of 2028.
Shettima also urged African countries to strengthen domestic financing for community health programmes, warning against continued dependence on external funding.
He emphasised the need for country-owned implementation plans, dedicated budgetary allocations and effective monitoring frameworks to ensure that commitments translated into measurable results.
Providing a continental perspective, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the two-million-worker target was built on a 2017 African Union commitment, which had so far been achieved by just over half.
The agency stressed the need for stronger implementation and sustainable financing, estimating that Africa would require $4.3bn annually to meet the target.
It added that every $1 invested in community health programmes could generate up to $19 in economic and social benefits.
Africa CDC also identified Nigeria’s commitment to employing 100,000 salaried community health workers as a significant contribution to the continental target.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, commended Tinubu for approving Nigeria’s hosting of the high-level forum.
Salako described the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening community health systems and improving primary healthcare delivery across Africa.
Similarly, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom S., reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare and the community health workforce.
He said the commitment was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
In her vote of thanks, Kachollom acknowledged Tinubu’s leadership as the African Union Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership.
She also appreciated the contributions of the African Union Commission, Africa CDC, development partners and other stakeholders.
She stressed that sustained investment, effective partnerships and coordinated implementation would be essential to translating the plan’s objectives into improved healthcare outcomes across the continent.
