Mahmud Tajo Sani Gaya, Executive Chairman of Gaya Local Government and ALGON representative on healthcare matters in Kano has said that all the 44 local government areas in the State will be represented in the ongoing Federal Government Health Fellowship programme.
He disclosed this at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) on Friday during the conclusion of the interview process for the fellowship.
According to him, the initiative is a federal government programme designed to standardise healthcare delivery across the country and ensure that Nigerians have access to quality healthcare services at all levels.
“Every local government in Kano State will be represented in this health fellowship. From the 44 LGAs, one successful candidate will be selected per local government,” he said.
Gaya explained that more than 100,000 health professionals and allied cadres applied nationwide for the fellowship, but only 132 candidates were shortlisted and interviewed in Kano, following an initial screening by the Federal Ministry of Health.
He noted that the interview exercise lasted for five days, beginning on Monday and ended Friday.
To ensure transparency and credibility, Gaya said the interview panel was made up of experts from different sectors, including medical doctors from various specialisations, representatives of the State Ministry of Health, academia, the Emirate Council, ALGON, andbthe Primary Health Care Management Board.
He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) was also represented.
“The composition of the panel was carefully designed to ensure transparency and to select only qualified and competent health professionals,” he said.
Gaya explained that each local government initially had three shortlisted candidates, out of which the best was recommended based on scores sent to the national level, where the final selection will be made.
He said Kano State is expected to have 44 health fellows once the process is completed.
On capacity building, Gaya disclosed that successful candidates would undergo a series of trainings, including a general training in Abuja, step-down trainings at the state level, and on-the-job training at their places of assignment.
“This programme is not just about recruitment. There will be continuous training and capacity building to prepare the fellows for real healthcare challenges at the grassroots,” he said.
He added that the presence of ALGON in the panel was to ensure that challenges at the local government level were properly identified and addressed, especially in hard-to-reach communities.
According to him, the fellowship will strengthen disease surveillance and emergency response, particularly through Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) across the LGAs.
“With trained health fellows at the local level, outbreaks can be detected early and managed before they escalate,” he said.
Gaya expressed confidence that the programme would improve healthcare delivery in Kano.