By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in collaboration with key stakeholders in the health sector, is set to organise a medical outreach under the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026 (DHII 2026), scheduled to hold from July 20 to July 23, 2026, across Nigeria.
In an official signed statement, Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun disclosed that speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM, stated that the initiative is aimed at harnessing the expertise, innovation, and global experience of Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora to strengthen local health systems and expand access to specialist care, particularly in underserved communities.
She noted that the initiative is being implemented in partnership with key national health institutions and professional bodies both within and outside the country, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Medical Association, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Dabiri-Erewa highlighted that the 2026 National Diaspora Day, observed annually on July 25, will be celebrated under the theme, “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.” She explained that beyond the over $20 billion in annual remittances, Nigerian professionals abroad continue to make significant contributions through knowledge transfer, specialist interventions, mentorship, and health systems advisory support.
DHII 2026 provides a structured national framework to align diaspora expertise with priority federal and state health needs, consolidating ongoing engagements under the National Diaspora Policy. Under the initiative, seven major diaspora medical associations will deploy to designated states for interventions. The Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA – USA) will operate in Imo, Abia, and Enugu States, while the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD – Canada) will conduct programs in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG – UK) will serve Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto States, and the Concerned Medics Foundation (UK) will focus on Borno State. The Nigerian Medical Association Germany will carry out programs in Abuja and Nasarawa State, the Nigerian-Australian Medical & Dental Association (NAMDA – Australia) will operate in Bayelsa, Edo, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States, and the Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa (NDF-SA) will lead interventions in Lagos State.
The outreach will focus on specialist clinical services, maternal and neonatal health, sickle cell screening, women’s health, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, echocardiography, point-of-care ultrasound, medical leadership, and systems strengthening, with emphasis on sustainable capacity building and hands-on mentorship rather than short-term interventions.
DHII 2026 will be officially flagged off in Abuja at the start of Diaspora Week, after which teams will deploy to their assigned states. All associations are expected to return to Abuja on July 24, 2026, to present outcome reports and impact data during the National Diaspora Day celebration on July 26, 2026, supporting policy dialogue and future scaling.
Dabiri-Erewa expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his continued support of diaspora engagement as a strategic pillar of national development. She also thanked the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, professional bodies, diaspora medical associations, development partners, the private sector, and the media for their cooperation in making DHII 2026 possible.
She called on Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora to continue partnering with NiDCOM in building resilient, equitable, and people-centred healthcare systems across Nigeria. Speaking at the event, representatives of ANPA, CANPAD, MANSAG, Concerned Medics Foundation, NMA Germany, NAMDA Australia, and NDF-SA thanked NiDCOM for the opportunity to contribute to the nation’s health sector and expressed hope that the initiative would continue annually.
