Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), on Wednesday, formally announced the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII) 2026,
Dabiri-Erewa made the announcement during a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that DHII is a nationwide health intervention programme designed to harness the expertise of Nigerian medical professionals in diaspora to strengthen local health systems.
She said the initiative would run in the week preceding the 2026 National Diaspora Day, observed annually on July 25, under the theme: “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development.”
She described DHII 2026 as a structured national platform aimed at improving healthcare delivery and outcomes across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
The NiDCOM boss said that Nigeria’s diaspora health professionals represent a strategic asset beyond their annual remittances of over 20 billion dollars.
She said that the knowledge transfer, specialist skills, mentorship and systems expertise could significantly transform the country’s health sector.
According to her, DHII 2026 will provide a coordinated framework aligning diaspora capabilities with priority to federal and state health needs, particularly in underserved communities.
She said that through the National Diaspora Policy and structured engagement mechanisms, diaspora professionals were already contributing to medical outreaches, capacity building, policy advisory and health education.
The chairman said that DHII 2026 would consolidate these efforts into a sustainable impact-driven framework.
Dabiri-Erewa said that the initiative would be implemented in collaboration with key stakeholders.
She listed the stakeholders to include 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.
She outlined participating diaspora associations and their areas of intervention, like the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas covering Imo, Abia and Enugu States
Others are 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..
“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.
She said that DHII 2026 would be officially flagged off in Abuja at the beginning of Diaspora Week, after which participating associations would deploy to designated states.
She said that this would be in partnership with state governments and local institutions.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, expected outcomes include 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.
Also speaking via Zoom was Dr Jide Menakaya President of the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain.
Menakaya commended NiDCOM for the innovative and inclusive initiative.
He said that DHII 2026 was a national project involving doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and other health professionals, particularly in maternal and newborn care in Northern Nigeria.
According to her, although logistical considerations limited physical coverage, professionals nationwide can engage through relevant clinical platforms and the NMA.
He said that the collaboration among the seven diaspora associations would extend beyond 2026, building sustainable partnerships and long-term expertise transfer in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
