Health Ministry and Pate’s Uncommon Feats in 6 Months

The end of anything or anyone is oftentimes a period of reflection upon what was and what would be. It also provide an avenue to plan and prepare for what is to come.

The year 2023 is wrapping up and this piece is an attempt to x-ray the Ministry of Health under the stewardship of a consummate public health practitioner of international repute, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

The journey started in July 2023 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Pate for a portfolio in his cabinet. Pate’s background as an ace physician with wealth of experience indicated that he would head Ministry of Health. Upon Pate’s confirmation by the Senate, the position was not only given to him but expanded to include the nation’s ‘Social Welfare’.

In his first press conference after assuming office, Pate alongside Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, stated their general plan for the country by rolling out what was christened  ‘four point agenda’.

First according to them was to improve the quality of governance in health sector. This would look at and regulate leadership in health sector, health facilities, regulatory agencies and development partners to run a hitch free ministry in order to serve Nigerians better.

Second was to improve population health outcomes by improving healthcare to restore confidence in Nigeria’s health sector. Third, medical value chain and industrialisation aimed at unlocking the healthcare value chain in order to address some economic challenges and finally improve health security for efficacious prevention and control of disease outbreaks.

About three months following the press conference, the following milestones have been recorded in the health sector:

Rollout of HPV Vaccine

In Nigeria, cervical cancer caused by various strain of human papillomavirus (HPV) is reportedly the third most common cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer deaths among women aged between 15 and 44. In 2020 – the latest year for which data is available – the country recorded 12,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths from cervical cancer.

Hence, the rollout of the HPV vaccine which according to National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) in a report on 19 December has been administered to 4.7 million girls in 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is certainly a life saver for mothers, wives, sisters, friends and colleagues alike.

This single intervention which will cut down the unpleasant statistics associated with cervical cancer by Pate led Ministry of Health shall remain fresh in our memories.

Activation of Diphtheria Emergency Taskforce

In October Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Kaduna and Bauchi were the hardest-hit regions by diphtheria and collectively accounted for 97 per cent of all confirmed cases (8,406) where 6,202 (73.7 per cent) are seen in children aged 1-14 years.

As cases continue to grow across the federation, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, constituted an emergency taskforce in order to forestall further spread.

Acting on their mandate, it is evident that the taskforce has brought diphtheria to a reasonable control.

NHIA Guidelines

On the account of high disease burden, high out-of-pocket health expenditure and low enrollment into health insurance, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare unveiled operational guidelines for the NHIA, to ensure financial access to quality healthcare in line with Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs), consequently putting the country on track of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

This step became relevant owing to the fact that high out-of-pocket payment for medical care continues to plunge Nigerians into poverty as only less than 10 percent enrollment into the scheme has been recorded since inauguration in 2004.

Unveiling Policy to Improve Vision and Eye Health

About 24 million Nigerians are living with treatable sight loss, majorly caused by untreated cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors.

In light of the above figures, three policy documents that will assist in improving vision and eye health in the country was unveiled in October.

The initiative will help “strengthen the eye health system to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), empowering Nigerians to learn, earn and thrive, mentioning that these interventions will be coordinated through the National Eye Health Programme (NEHP) in the ministry,” the minister of state for health said during the ceremony.

Noma Treatment Center

Noma is an infectious yet noncontagious disease, which rapidly eats away the soft and hard tissues, as well as ones of the face, resulting in the creation of bizarre facial disfigurement.

Prof. Pate commissioned a treatment centre in November. The edifice was commissioned to house patients and their caregivers because patients undergo series and different stages of surgeries before their face is restored.

National noma control programme has been established also as a preventive measure of raising awareness about the disease, training of healthcare workers, surveillance officers, community mobilisation officers, traditional rulers on early detection, treatment referral of cases and proper date collection.

First Policy on Patients’ safety

Under Pate’s leadership Nigeria has developed its first ever National Policy and Implementation Strategy on Patient Safety and Care Quality, this became paramount due to significance of patients in healthcare system and their role in the quality of care received.

The ministry explained that the National Policy focuses on improving patient and family engagement in health care, medication safety, surgical safety, infection prevention and control as well as safety of all medical procedures amongst others.

The above milestones are laudable but the sector needs improvement in many fronts including Primary Healthcare Centres, (PHCs), mental health, delivering promise on medical industrialisation and adequate implementation of policies to mention a few.

Achieving more in all fronts will bring forth a better health sector in 2024 and beyond for Nigeria and Nigerians.