FG committed to Saving Lives, Reducing Physical, Financial Pains – Prof Fate

By Mohammed Kaka Misau

The federal government of Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to saving of lives, reducing both physical and financial pains of the citizens.

Coordinating Minister for Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate stated this in a press statement made available to newsmen by Head of Information and Public Relations, federal Ministry of Health, Alaba Balogun yesterday.

According to the statement, the FG is highly committed to saving lives, reducing both physical and financial pain through affordable and accessible quality healthcare by Nigerians.

The minister said that the initiative is a key pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the health sector.

The press statement explained that the minister made the comment while speaking a the closing ceremony of the 2024 Ministerial Leadership On Performance Management Systems ( PMS) organized by the Ministry.

Prof. Pate asserted that the present administration has taken actionable steps from assumption of office last year, that include expanding and upgrading of Teaching Hospitals across geopolitical zones of the country and, provision of critical medical equipments that would produce health for all Nigerians, regardless of their income or where they come from.

The live saving measures and other various performance indices, the minister pointed out, are captured and being diligently implemented under the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint initiated by the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare.

The Coordinating Minister said, in Bauchi State, the people are beginning to feel the impact of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has expanded the Teaching Hospitals, as well as provided a new site for the Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospitals.

The minister while stressing that a newly rated world class diagnostic centre is being built at the current site of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University teaching hospital, added that the VVF centre in Ningi has a program for women who are affected by obstetric fistula.

He said that the VVF center is being strengthened to serve women from the North – Eastern part of the country from all over Nigeria who require the services.

“In Misau, a new Federal Medical Centre is provided; and in Azare, an upgraded Teaching Hospital serving not only Bauchi State but the entirety of the North- East Geopolitical zone”, the statement said.

It further disclosed: “That is, delivering the promise of this President to improve the health of Nigerians.”

The minister said that the federal government through the ministry has been working hard on it as well as in other parts of the country.

“So, we are very pleased with the results that have began to manifest themselves. This is just the first year. More is to come in terms of the health sector transformation, and we appreciate Mr. President’s leadership and positioning of health as an important pillar of his administration”, the Coordinating Minister emphasized.

On affordability of healthcare, Prof. Pate highlighted the importance of synergy and complimentary efforts of the sub-nationals and Local Governments in the health sector towards advancing and expanding primary healthcare and health insurance that will make Nigerians afford the care.

He asserted that ”Through health insurance, we have already seen more than 2.4 million Nigerians accessing affordable care from the vulnerable people, to expand health insurance, to expand human resources, with training and employment.”

Elaborating further, the Coordinating Minister said, unlocking the value chain is an integral part of its Health Sector Strategic Blueprint initiative, focusing on manufacturing things that we need, whether they are commodities, bednets, and other elements of the health care value chain, test kits and, we are committed to actualizing this objective.

The ministry said by doing so, jobs opportunities would created for the teeming youths; as well as provide services, products that are needed to improve the health of Nigerians.

“It is pertinent to state that the 2024 Ministerial Leadership On Performance Management Systems ( PMS) was organized by the Ministry as a 3 – day event, spanning Monday 21 – 23 October, for its management staff, Chief Medical Directors of primary secondary and tertiary health institutions nationwide and CEOs of Agencies”, he said.

Prof Pate said that the ministry has discussed how to strengthen the leadership of the sector and how to hold themselves accountable for performance and, how to improve the quality of Health care for all Nigerians.