Nigeria to Establish Youth Health Advisory Team and Task Force to Address Social Challenges

Maryam Aminu

The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to establish a youth health advisory team and task force aimed at tackling health and social challenges affecting young people.

This initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, the Minister of Youth Development, announced the initiative during a meeting with the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, in Abuja.

Dr. Ibrahim highlighted the importance of recognizing the unique challenges faced by Nigeria’s youth, who make up over 70% of the country’s population.

These challenges include mental health issues, limited access to healthcare, drug abuse, and unemployment.

“It is essential for the government at all levels to develop a comprehensive and targeted health policy specifically designed to address these issues and ensure the well-being of the youth population,” Dr. Ibrahim stated.

The youth health advisory team and task force will be composed of highly skilled young Nigerian health professionals. A joint committee from both ministries will oversee the collaboration to ensure its effectiveness.

She added that the initiative is part of a broader public health strategy that includes strengthening national health institutions, expanding vaccine and diagnostic manufacturing, increasing domestic health investment, and enhancing the public health workforce.

Dr. Ibrahim also mentioned Nigeria’s leadership in establishing the Youth Centre for Disease Control in Africa, a proposal made during the 2023 International Youth Conference on Public Health in Zambia, which has now come to fruition in Nigeria.

Dr. Pate expressed strong support for the collaboration, emphasizing the commitment of the Ministry of Health to work closely with the Ministry of Youth Development and other key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC). The goal is to build a resilient health institution that prioritizes youth health strategies in Nigeria.