2027: TIHSEPA Coordinator Urges Health Workers to Back Tinubu, Cites Healthcare Reforms

The National Coordinator of the Tinubu Health Sector Practitioners Alliance, Dr Ogechi Lokpobiri, has urged health professionals to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, citing reported investments in medical education, healthcare infrastructure, workforce development and health insurance.

Lokpobiri said the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda had introduced initiatives aimed at strengthening the healthcare system, expanding professional training and improving access to medical services across the country.

She also commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, for their roles in advancing reforms in healthcare delivery and medical education.

According to her, collaboration between the two ministries is essential to producing skilled health professionals, upgrading medical institutions and improving the quality of healthcare services available to Nigerians.

Lokpobiri, wife of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said sustained investment and effective implementation of policies would be necessary to address persistent challenges in the sector.

On nursing education, she cited Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare figures showing that annual enrolment quotas for nursing and midwifery training institutions increased from 28,000 in May 2023 to 115,000 for the 2025 academic year.

She also cited the retraining of more than 69,000 frontline health workers nationwide and the Federal Government’s approval of recruitment waivers for 20,000 additional health personnel, with nurses and midwives expected to account for 60 per cent of the positions.

The TIHSEPA coordinator welcomed the Nigeria Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2025–2030, which seeks to strengthen professional education, leadership, regulation and workforce development.

However, she said expanding training and recruitment would not be sufficient without better welfare packages, adequate staffing, modern equipment and improved working conditions.

She stressed that retaining skilled professionals was critical to ensuring that investments in training translated into better patient care.

On medical education, Lokpobiri cited programme information indicating a reported ₦110bn investment in 18 medical schools under the Federal Ministry of Education’s Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.

The initiative reportedly also includes the rehabilitation of 12 engineering and technology faculties and the development of 20 institutions specialising in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences.

She urged the government to ensure that beneficiary institutions had functional laboratories, modern equipment, qualified personnel and adequate clinical training facilities.

According to her, increasing student enrolment without corresponding improvements in infrastructure and practical training could affect the quality of graduates produced by the institutions.

Lokpobiri also welcomed healthcare projects announced by the Presidency in May 2026, including a laboratory complex at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in Akwa Ibom State, a mental health and drug rehabilitation centre at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and an immunisation supply chain hub at the Federal Medical Stores in Oshodi, Lagos State.

Other interventions she highlighted included primary healthcare facilities in Kano and Delta states, alongside initiatives to improve emergency medical transportation.

She said the emergency response initiative included 145 tricycle ambulances, six boat ambulances and 79 ambulances for federal tertiary hospitals. The plan also provides for compressed natural gas-powered ambulances across all 73 federal tertiary health facilities.

According to her, the interventions could reduce delays in accessing emergency treatment, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

She, however, stressed the need for proper maintenance, trained personnel and functional referral systems to ensure that the investments improved access to timely medical care.

On health financing, Lokpobiri commended the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative for its focus on strengthening primary healthcare, expanding insurance coverage and improving coordination among the federal, state and local governments.

Citing government reports, she said health insurance enrolment had exceeded 22 million Nigerians by July 2026, representing an increase of approximately 35 per cent since 2023.

She said expanding insurance coverage could reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses and protect households from financial hardship caused by illness.

The TIHSEPA coordinator also called for increased investment in domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing to boost local production of medicines, diagnostic products and medical equipment.

She said strengthening local manufacturing could reduce import dependence, improve the resilience of the medical supply chain and support the availability of essential healthcare products.

On maternal and newborn health, Lokpobiri cited a 2025 review by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, which reportedly recorded a 17 per cent reduction in maternal deaths and a 12 per cent decline in newborn deaths across 172 high-burden local government areas targeted by specific interventions.

She said sustaining the reported progress would require continued investment in antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric services and newborn care.

She also called for stronger collaboration among the three tiers of government and effective monitoring of interventions to extend their benefits to more communities.

As the 2027 presidential election approaches, Lokpobiri urged doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other health professionals to support Tinubu’s re-election, arguing that a second term would provide an opportunity to consolidate ongoing reforms and sustain investment in healthcare.

“President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda recognises that the health of Nigerians is fundamental to the country’s productivity, prosperity and future. Investments in healthcare infrastructure, professional training, maternal health and insurance coverage provide a foundation for building a stronger health system,” she said.

She maintained that sustained funding, effective policy implementation and collaboration among government institutions and professional associations were necessary to improve healthcare delivery nationwide.

Lokpobiri added that the impact of the reforms should be measured by improvements in access to treatment, patient outcomes, healthcare facilities and financial protection for Nigerians seeking medical care.