FG sends 35 medical professionals to Tanzania

The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps has sent 35 medical professionals to Zanzibar, Tanzania, with the aim of bridging both the educational and professional gaps in that country.

This was made known last week in Abuja by Director General, NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, while speaking at the deployment of the medical personnel comprising nurses and doctors.

He said the exercise was in line with the mandate of the agency to send volunteers to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries in need of professionals.

According to him, “Today is a historic day for the corps and to honour the directive of President Bola Tinubu, using soft power diplomacy, the corps is sending 35 TAC volunteers to Zanzibar.”

Yakub, a former member of the House of Representatives and Committee Chairman of Nigeria, China Affairs, hailed President Tinubu for the support he has shown in enhancing Nigeria’s foreign policy to bridge the gaps in countries that need professionals.

Continuing, Yakub said as an agency that was saddled with the responsibility of promoting soft power diplomacy of the country, “We always run with the mandate of Mr. President to achieve his four D-4 foreign policy initiative.

“NTAC, before its establishment in 1987, our leaders back then usually gave cash support to our sister nations within the ACP countries, but in 1987, the leaders decided to send our technical experts to this country to help in enhancing diplomatic relations and cultural exchange.

“So from 1987 to this day, I am proud to say that NTAC has achieved a lot, and we have deployed to over 40,000 countries, and we have deployed over 10,000 experts to the ACP countries.

“This is a great achievement for our country, because on Saturday, when I was in The Gambia to attend a convocation ceremony, the President, Adama Barrow, was so proud and appreciative of the impact of Nigeria in his country.

“The Vice Chancellor (VC) of the only University in that country was a volunteer of the NTAC in 1999, and also the second VC was a volunteer; this is amongst other interventions done by NTAC in that country.”

He added that in the spirit of the South-South cooperation, fellow African brothers and underdeveloped countries needed to come together to bridge the gaps with whatever expertise they have to offer to their African brothers.

Speaking also was Dr. Paul Cornelius, the team lead for the 35 volunteers, auded the Federal Government for its initiative to bridge the gaps in ACP countries.

He pledged to do the country proud while also assuring that the group would supersede the achievements of their predecessors in bringing glory to Nigeria.

Similarly, Mohammed Ibrahim, a pediatric Nurse, expressed gratitude to God for being among the successful volunteers from the 10,000 entries.

He prayed that God will grant them the ability to do the needful as requested, and also to be good ambassadors of Nigeria while in their host community.

Mary-Jane Okieze, a registered Nurse, said it was an opportunity for all of the volunteers to go out there and show their skills and to also promote Nigeria in the host community.

She praised the government through NTAC for the wonderful initiative and promise not to be found wanting in her task, adding that her job required caring for sick patients and she would be honoured to care for the sick in Zanzibar.