FG Approves Recruitment of 50 Doctors, 100 Nurses for Correctional Centres

The Federal Government has approved the recruitment of 50 medical doctors and 100 nurses to improve healthcare services across correctional centres in Nigeria.

The approval is part of ongoing efforts by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen medical care within custodial facilities and address the shortage of healthcare professionals in the nation’s prisons.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed that the recruitment will help bridge the gap in medical personnel across facilities managed by the Nigerian Correctional Service. According to the minister, several correctional centres across the country currently lack adequate medical staff, making it difficult to provide timely and quality healthcare for inmates.

He noted that the newly approved medical personnel will be deployed to correctional centres nationwide to improve the treatment of inmates and strengthen the healthcare system within the custodial facilities.

Tunji-Ojo explained that the move reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring humane treatment of inmates, stressing that access to proper healthcare remains a fundamental right even for those in custody.

Nigeria’s correctional system has long faced criticism over overcrowding, poor infrastructure and inadequate healthcare services in many facilities. Stakeholders have repeatedly called for reforms to improve the welfare of inmates and the overall conditions within prisons.

The recruitment of the 150 health workers is expected to ease the burden on existing medical staff and enhance healthcare delivery across facilities operated by the Nigerian Correctional Service.