By Rayyanu Bala

When you think about strengthening a state’s healthcare system, football probably isn’t the first strategy that comes to mind.

Yes, of course NAPHDA has no direct mandate to promote sports, but sports themselves play an important role in boosting human health. Since sports contribute to improved health and well-being, NAPHDA therefore does have a stake in encouraging sporting activities especially among its workforce to help keep them fit for their onerous assignments.

So what Dr. Usman Iskilu Saleh, the Executive Secretary of the Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NAPHDA), is doing by organising this sporting competition is to prove that sometimes the most effective ideas come from thinking outside the box or in this case, outside the clinic, all geared at improving the health sector in the state.

It worth reiterating that NAPHDA’s inaugural football competition isn’t just another sports event. It’s a bold, refreshing move aimed at bringing health workers together from all 13 LGAs, and honestly, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Healthcare delivery thrives on collaboration, trust, and unity. Yet these are often taken for granted or lost in the busyness of day-to-day responsibilities. Dr. Saleh recognized this gap and decided to bridge it with something as universal and energizing as football.

And he’s right, sports have a magic way of breaking barriers. They spark conversations, dissolve hierarchies, and turn colleagues into teammates. During the opening ceremony, he made it clear that this competition isn’t about trophies, bragging rights, or who scores the most goals. It’s about strengthening relationships. Winning is secondary, he emphasized, and that message goes deeply. In a sector where coordinated teamwork can literally save lives, building a sense of togetherness is not just nice to have, it’s in fact essential.

What’s even more inspiring is that Dr. Saleh isn’t treating this as a one-off event. He sees a long-term vision where this tournament becomes a yearly tradition, continually renewing the bonds among health workers. That kind of consistency shows leadership, foresight, and a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of the people behind the white coats and stethoscopes.

And the competition itself? Off to a fiery start. From NAPHDA’s thrilling 3–2 opener against Kokona LGA to Akwanga’s commanding 5–1 win over Keana and Doma’s 5–3 victory against Lafia, the matches have been nothing short of entertaining. But beneath the excitement, something deeper is happening, workers who may have never crossed paths before are cheering each other on, sharing the field, and building the kind of rapport that will follow them back into their health posts.

While this initiative is a sports event; Dr. Saleh is reminding everyone that building a robust healthcare system isn’t only about infrastructure and equipment, it’s also about the people who make it function every day. And sometimes, the best way to strengthen a workforce is to let them play, laugh, compete, and bond.

If the energy from these early matches is anything to go by, the tournament is doing exactly what it set out to do: uniting health workers in a fun, meaningful way while ultimately contributing to better healthcare delivery. As the competition continues, the real victory won’t be decided by final scores but by the lasting relationships and team spirit cultivated along the way.

In a world where health ministries and departments often struggle with fragmentation, Dr. Saleh has kicked off an initiative that blends wellness, teamwork, and friendly rivalry together and in doing so, he might just be transforming the culture of healthcare in Nasarawa State for good.