THE Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has announced Nigeria’s plan to integrate 28,000 health workers formerly supported by US funding into its national healthcare system.
Pate, said this, on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme, late Friday, February 14, monitored by our correspondent, where he outlined the government’s plan to ensure that the gains made in combating HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, are preserved as the US government repositions its funding priorities.
The minister stressed that while the Nigerian government, including the state government, is keying to invest more money in healthcare, the private sector actors, the hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry need to also rise.
This, according to him, will make Nigeria’s healthcare system serve Nigerians and potentially even serve other parts of our continent.
“Our total health spend in Nigeria, the total health exposure: 30 per cent is public, 70 per cent is private. So, the component of overseas development assistance for health is not the largest chunk of our health expenditure.
“It has been significant. We’re a very large country and while we talk about the total health expenditure overall 70 per cent is domestic private and the 30 per cent that comprises the public as well as the overseas development assistance, I will say about $67 per capita is what the external development assistance is about. Now, that is about $67 per capita if you multiply by 200 million Nigerians, that’s about the figure,” the minister said.
Pate further stressed that the US government had contributed significantly to Nigeria’s healthcare, citing support for HIV, TB, and malaria.
He, however, noted that much of those resources are not channeled through government systems, adding that they’re channeled through implementing partners outside government.
Notably, the policy shift, which has led to a significant reduction in US support for health initiatives, has been a growing concern for many Nigerians, including public health stakeholders.
Recall that following the controversies surrounding the HIV and other diseases funding by the U.S. the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday, February 3, approved N4.8 billion for the procurement of 150,000 HIV treatment packs to support Nigerians living with the virus.
The ICIR reports that the HIV fund came days after global concerns over the temporary suspension of United States foreign aid funding, which threatened access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy (ART) among others, for millions of people, including Nigerians.
The freeze, introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration, had raised fears of treatment disruptions in Nigeria, one of the countries heavily reliant on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Meanwhile, following advocacy from global health organisations, the US granted a waiver for HIV treatment programs, ensuring continued medication supply for affected patients.
Speaking of the support, expressed gratitude for the contributions made by the American people, who, he said, have supported over 1.3 million Nigerians with essential therapies.
However, he stressed that Nigeria must now take ownership of its healthcare destiny.
Minister Pate emphasised that with the current US policy transition, Nigeria is accelerating efforts to build a resilient, self-reliant healthcare system.
“The Federal government is going to do its part. For states, we expect that they will also step in because many things happen at the state level on HIV, TB, or malaria. There are health workers, 28,000 of them who were been paid through US government support. While it has been appreciated, those health workers are Nigerians. We have to find ways to transmit them.
“Our approach, long before the change in US policy has been towards increasing national ownership, increasing domestic resources, improving our healthcare value chain and producing what we use, strengthening our resilience through surveillance, laboratory systems so that we deal with infectious diseases,” he added.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M