Nigerian doctors based overseas are set to return home for a nationwide medical outreach aimed at reinforcing the country’s healthcare delivery system.
The initiative, part of activities marking the 2026 Diaspora Day, is themed, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.” It is designed to mobilise Nigerian health professionals abroad for targeted interventions across selected states.
The programme, tagged Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026, is being coordinated in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Medical Association.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the initiative seeks to tap into the global exposure and expertise of Nigerian doctors in the diaspora to bolster local health institutions, widen access to specialised services, and provide mentorship to healthcare workers, particularly in underserved areas.
She explained that the intervention aligns with the National Diaspora Policy as well as federal and state healthcare priorities, providing a structured platform for collaboration and sustainable impact.
Under the arrangement, seven major diaspora medical groups have been assigned to specific states. The Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas will cover Imo, Abia and Enugu states, while the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists is designated to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain will operate in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto states, while the Concerned Medics Foundation will focus on Borno State.
Similarly, the Nigerian Medical Association Germany has been assigned to the FCT and Nasarawa State (Keffi), the Nigerian-Australian Medical and Dental Association to Bayelsa, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states, and the Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa to Lagos State.
Services to be rendered during the outreach include specialist clinical care, maternal and neonatal health services, sickle cell screening, women’s health interventions, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, echocardiography and point-of-care ultrasound. The programme will also feature medical leadership training and broader health systems strengthening efforts, with emphasis on knowledge transfer and hands-on mentorship.
The initiative is scheduled to be formally inaugurated in Abuja at the commencement of Diaspora Week 2026, after which participating teams will proceed to their designated states.
The associations are expected to reconvene in Abuja on July 24 ahead of the Diaspora Day celebrations slated for July 25 and 26, where they will present impact reports to guide policy discussions and potential expansion of the programme.
Dabiri-Erewa expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for backing diaspora engagement efforts. She also acknowledged the support of the Ministers of Health and Education, state governments, professional bodies, development partners, the private sector and the media.
She further commended Arco Petrochemical and Marine Engineering Company for its contribution towards youth participation in Diaspora Day activities.
Representatives of the participating associations lauded the commission and the Ministry of Health for the initiative, urging that it be sustained to ensure long-term gains for the nation’s healthcare system.
Meanwhile, preliminary virtual sessions have commenced ahead of the physical outreach, focusing on women’s health, interventional radiology, neurosurgery and echocardiography.
