The newly appointed coordinating minister of health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has committed to ensuring effective implementation of policies that would improve health outcomes in the country.
The minister stated this yesterday at his welcome ceremony held at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
He said “We need to improve health outcomes and that is very important because there is a gap. When you fly from Addis Ababa to India you see a lot of people going for medical tourism and it is not a thing we in the health sector should rest on our oars and see as normal, we should do something about it, improve our health outcomes.”
The minister noted that the selection of ministers for the health ministry by the President indicates that he considers the people as the bases and foundational element of his administration.
He said the president realises that Nigerians are eager to feel the impact of government. “He mentioned that today, so that people feel the difference that his renewed hope agenda of his administration begins to touch the lives of people and right were it can be done through the multiple instruments that the ministry of health has.”
He, therefore, stressed the need to improve the governance of health both at the states and local governments, including everyone in the cause of health policy and the implementation of these policies.
Pate expressed his willingness to work with the minister of state, staff of the ministry, other agencies and stakeholders to shape a direction for the country‘s health sector and move it forward.
Earlier, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, assured the ministers that the staff of the ministry are determined to give their unalloyed support to ensure they succeed.
“we will provide expertise in the administrative standard that will move the health sector forward”, she said.
