Nigeria Govt Declares Health Pillar of National Unity, Productivity, and Stability
Abuja (Core Reporters) The Federal Government has reaffirmed health as the foundation of Nigeria’s development agenda, stressing that access to quality and affordable healthcare is central to national unity, economic productivity and social stability under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate CON, stated this during an advocacy visit by the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW) Headquarters – accompanied by heads of media agencies of the Nigeria Television Authority, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria and News Agency of Nigeria.
Professor Pate said the Tinubu administration deliberately placed health at the heart of governance, noting that without good health, no sector of the economy can function optimally.
“Without health, there is no work, no farming, no business, no manufacturing and no infrastructure. Health is the most critical asset of any nation,” he said.
He explained that the administration’s health transformation agenda is guided by a clear “North Star” mandate to save lives, reduce physical and financial pain associated with accessing care, and deliberately produce health through prevention, wellness promotion and stronger public health systems, particularly for the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians.
According to him, the agenda is anchored on four pillars, beginning with governance reforms aimed at aligning federal, state and local governments, strengthening regulatory institutions and ensuring policies respond directly to citizens’ needs through instruments such as the annual People’s Voice Survey. He added that increased budgetary allocations to the sector demonstrate political commitment beyond rhetoric.
On service delivery, Professor Pate disclosed that thousands of primary healthcare centres have been revitalised nationwide, with direct facility financing expanded from 1,300 to more than 13,000 centres. He said over 80 million Nigerians accessed health services in the first half of the year, while more than 79,000 frontline health workers have been retrained and training quotas doubled to address workforce shortages.
He also highlighted investments in tertiary care, including the establishment and expansion of oncology centres across the country through public-private partnerships, alongside efforts to expand health insurance coverage and reduce the cost of medicines.
The Coordinating Minister identified medical industrialisation as a major policy thrust, noting renewed growth in local pharmaceutical manufacturing, rapid diagnostic test production and insecticide-treated net manufacturing, driven by regulatory reforms and presidential executive orders. He said over 100 local manufacturers are currently undergoing regulatory approvals, signalling a gradual shift from import dependence to domestic production.
On health security, he affirmed that federal government has strengthened epidemic preparedness and response, citing the containment of outbreaks such as diphtheria, meningitis and yellow fever, as well as improved border surveillance in response to regional and global health threats. He described health security as a critical component of national security, particularly in the context of climate change and emerging diseases.
He noted that early indicators show progress, including declining maternal mortality in targeted local government areas, improved immunisation coverage and growing public confidence in the health system, while acknowledging that long-standing challenges remain and require sustained effort.
Speaking earlier, the Honourable Minister of Information & National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris said the advocacy visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between both ministries and improving public communication of government policies and achievements. He praised the health ministry’s reforms, particularly in primary healthcare revitalisation, oncology services and medical industrialisation.
He stressed that effective communication is essential to governance, noting that “what is not communicated is as good as not done,” and assured that the Federal Ministry of Information & National Orientation would intensify efforts to inform Nigerians about health reforms, promote positive health-seeking behaviour and use health as a tool for national cohesion and inspiration.
Also speaking, the Honourable Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako commended the advocacy visit, noting that many achievements in the health sector are often intangible and less visible to the public compared to infrastructure projects.
He described health and social welfare as central pillars of the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the clarity of President Tinubu’s vision has enabled focused and organised implementation in the sector.
“When you immunise 14 million people, there is nothing physical to point at, unlike kilometres of road. Yet the impact on lives is far greater,” he said.
He explained that the alignment between the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative has provided a clear roadmap for reform, urging journalists to study both documents to better understand and communicate the direction of the sector.
Furthermore, Dr. Salako firmly asserted that power supply challenges in health facilities is being addressed frontally, disclosing that a presidential directive has led to the establishment of a joint steering committee with the Ministry of Power to ensure reliable energy solutions. The target, he said, is for at least 50 per cent of hospitals, including tertiary, secondary and selected primary healthcare centres, to have stable power by 2027.
The Honourable Ministers agreed that sustained inter-ministerial collaboration and strategic public engagement are crucial to consolidating gains in the health sector and restoring public trust in Nigeria’s health system.
