Tinubu appoints Abdu Mukhtar as coordinator of ‘Unlocking Healthcare Value-Chain Initiative’

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Abdu Mukhtar as the national coordinator of the “Unlocking Healthcare Value-Chain Initiative”.

Mukhtar is the immediate past director of industry and trade development at the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The new initiative is domiciled in the federal ministry of health and social welfare.

In a statement on Tuesday, Anjuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, said the initiative seeks to unlock billions of dollars of new investment into the nation’s healthcare-delivery system “through a time-bound and cross-ministerial collaboration”.

Ngelale said the initiative is geared towards having a measurable increase in the domestic manufacturing of generic pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biologics, and devices.

According to Ngelale, the approval seeks to also achieve a “reduction of outbound medical tourism by enhancing service quality in Nigeria while catalyzing alternative health ecosystems in-country”.

“Measurable increase in quantity of quality jobs across the value chain through enhanced FDI and local capital mobilization,” he added.

“Dr. Mukhtar holds a Doctorate in Biotechnology from Boston University (USA); a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School (USA); a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a Medical Degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.”

The presidential spokesperson said Tinubu expects Mukhtar to bring his vast experience and academic qualifications “in the effective execution of this essential national assignment”.