Nigerians Oversees Coming With Diaspora Health Impact Initiative

Healthcare services delivery in the country appears set for a radical improvement with the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (BHII) 2026 being midwifed by Nigerians overseas.

The initiative would be helping to strengthen local health systems which still battles fundamental challenges.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, announced the coming of the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (BHII) 2026 during a news conference in Abuja.

It would seek to harness the expertise of Nigerian medical professionals in diaspora to strengthen local health systems.

With “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development”, as theme, the initiative would run in the week preceding the 2026 National Diaspora Day, observed annually on July 25.

Aside annual remittances of over 20billion dollars, Nigeria’s diaspora health professionals, with their knowledge transfer, specialist skills, mentorship and systems expertise, represent a strategic asset beyond their annual remittances of over 20billion dollars, she said.

Abike-Dabiri, said the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative would align diaspora capabilities with local needs especially in underserved communities, in helping to meet the health needs of Nigerians.

According to her, DHII 2026 would consolidate these efforts into a sustainable impact-driven framework, through the National Diaspora Policy and structured engagement mechanisms.

These were evident through medical outreaches, capacity building, policy advisory and health education.

For the upcoming initiative, she informed that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigerian Medical Association and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria were involved

Others included the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas covering Imo, Abia and Enugu States, the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto States.

“There is also Concerned Medics Foundation in Borno State; the Nigerian Medical Association Germany in the FCT and Nasarawa State; and the Nigerian-Australian Medical and Dental Association in Bayelsa, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.

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“The Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa in Lagos State is also not left out.

“The interventions, scheduled for July 20 to July 23, will focus on specialist services, maternal and newborn care, women’s health screening, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, sickle cell management, health governance and advanced diagnostics,” she said.

With official flgaoff in Abuja at the beginning of Diaspora Week, DHII 2026 would see partnership of state governments and local institutions.

End result

At the end of all there would be improved access to specialist services, enhanced clinical competence of local professionals through hands-on mentorship, strengthened institutional capacity and measurable health impact data to guide national policy.

She said that at the conclusion of the state-level interventions, all associations were expected to return to Abuja on July 24 to present impact reports during the National Diaspora Day celebrations on July 26.