Christmas: ACHPN Felicitates Christians, Calls for Improved Primary Healthcare in 2026

The President of the Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (ACHPN), Comrade Kabir Yahaya Ahmed, has extended warm Christmas greetings to Christians, particularly members of the Association, on the occasion of this year’s celebration.

In his Christmas message, Comrade Kabir Yahaya Ahmed urged Christians to use the festive period to pray for unity, peace, development and the continued corporate existence of Nigeria. He also encouraged them to rededicate their lives to the service of God and humanity.
According to him, the 2025 Christmas celebration calls for sober reflection in view of the prevailing socio-economic situation in the country.
The ACHPN President used the occasion to advocate a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s Primary Healthcare System in 2026, aimed at improving the overall wellbeing of Nigerians. He emphasized the urgent need for increased recruitment of community health practitioners next year to address the workforce deficit in primary healthcare centres across the country.
Expressing concern over the welfare of community health practitioners, especially those serving in rural areas, Comrade Yahaya Ahmed called for improved remuneration and welfare packages to boost morale, productivity and effective healthcare delivery.
He also advocated the upgrade of primary healthcare centres through the provision of basic amenities, including electricity, water supply, consumables and other essential facilities required for efficient primary healthcare services.
Identifying healthcare delivery as critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, the ACHPN National President appealed to governments at all levels to increase budgetary allocations to the health sector in order to curb child and maternal mortality in the country.
Comrade Kabir Yahaya Ahmed further called on some state commissioners who deny community health practitioners the opportunity to practise in state-owned facilities to reconsider their stance, describing such actions as counterproductive to Nigeria’s efforts at achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He commended the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, as well as some state and local governments, for enabling community health practitioners to participate in the forthcoming ACHPN Scientific Conference scheduled to hold in Minna, Niger State.
The ACHPN President reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to complementing government efforts aimed at repositioning the nation’s primary healthcare sector.
He also used the opportunity to commiserate with the government and people of Bayelsa State over the death of the state’s Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo.