Pate seeks improved political will, unified commitment to strengthen Nigeria’s health system
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has called for a shared national commitment to make health and education top priorities, warning that the country’s long-term progress depends on collective accountability and political will across all sectors.
Mr Pate, a professor made the call at a High-Level Media Advocacy Dialogue in Abuja on Thursday, jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) and the Engender Health Consortium.
He said Nigeria’s poor health outcomes are not due to lack of technical expertise but to weak prioritisation and absence of unified political will.
“For too long, we’ve self-criticised without building a national consensus to fix it,” he said.
“Health is not just a technical issue; it’s a political choice. The way we allocate resources reflects our collective priorities.”
He highlighted that recent government reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidies, adjustments to tax policies, and tighter monetary control have begun to expand Nigeria’s revenue base, which is crucial for financing healthcare.
Political determination
Mr Pate emphasised that rebuilding Nigeria’s health system requires political determination, efficient governance, and citizen responsibility.
He noted that the federal government has recruited over 20,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists in the past two years, with efforts underway to strengthen both primary and tertiary healthcare facilities.
He cited progress in reducing maternal deaths in several local government areas by 12 per cent, attributing it to improved primary healthcare access, emergency care, and affordability.
“If a facility is clean, staffed, and equipped, and communities trust it, women will use it and lives will be saved,” he said.
Mr Pate commended states government, including Kaduna, for expanding primary health infrastructure and human resources, while noting that national health insurance and equity programmes are being scaled up to protect poor and vulnerable populations.
On health security, the Minister revealed that Nigeria’s enhanced disease surveillance and vaccination drives helped prevent major outbreaks of meningitis and cholera in the past year.
He added that the rollout of the new pentavalent meningococcal vaccine, the first of its kind in Africa, marks a major milestone in epidemic preparedness.
“Our successes often go unnoticed because prevention doesn’t make headlines,” he said.
Renewed political will, increased funding
In her welcome address, the Executive Director of ISMPH, Moji Makanjuola, called for renewed political will, stronger funding, and accountability across Nigeria’s PHC system to reduce maternal and child deaths and advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Ms Makanjuola said that while Nigeria has made commendable progress in health reforms, the country must confront the grim realities reflected in national data with “courage and compassion.”
She noted that PHCs remain the bedrock of UHC, serving as the first and most critical point of contact for millions of Nigerians, especially in rural and underserved areas.
Yet, she lamented that only about 20 per cent of the over 30,000 PHCs nationwide are fully functional, according to the National Primary
Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
“When PHCs work, maternal and child mortality declines, immunisation coverage improves, productivity rises, and the cycle of poverty linked to ill health is broken,” she added.
Quoting the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), she said Nigeria still records one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, and an under-five mortality rate of 102 deaths per 1,000 live births.
These figures, she said translate to approximately 82,000 Nigerian women dying annually due to pregnancy-related causes, and one in every 10 Nigerian children dying before the age of five.
“These statistics are not meant to indict but to inspire, to spotlight the urgency for deeper reforms, more coordinated investments, and sustained accountability,” she said.
“They also highlight why our collective focus on strengthening PHC systems remains both timely and essential.”
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Gates Foundation calls for sustained PHC financing
Speaking at the dialogue, Uche Amaonwu, Nigeria Country Director of Gates Foundation, described the event as timely, saying Nigeria’s human capital and economic future depend on what is done next for primary healthcare.
“When a mother walks into a PHC clinic in Kano or a father brings a child for vaccination in Kaduna, they are not only seeking treatment — they are placing their trust in a system that represents the state’s promise to protect life,” he said.
“Unfortunately, that trust is often broken by underfunded facilities, staff shortages, and gaps in governance.”
Mr Amaonwu commended both the Federal Ministry of Health and state governments for increasing allocations to primary healthcare but urged them to aim higher to meet the 15 per cent Abuja Declaration benchmark for health funding.
He added that the Gates Foundation remains committed to supporting government and partners to ensure that every Nigerian family can rely on a strong, well-financed primary healthcare system.
“Let today mark a turning point where words become commitments, commitments become actions, and actions save lives,” he said.
Representing Lagos State, Ibrahim Mustapha, Permanent Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Board, said the state government remains committed to strengthening healthcare financing and service delivery.
Mr Mustapha noted that Lagos is steadily working toward meeting the Abuja Declaration target of allocating 15 per cent of its total budget to health, adding that the state currently dedicates about 12 per cent.
He added that the government is also revitalising several hospitals and primary healthcare centres across the state to ensure improved service delivery and better health outcomes for residents.