By: Tanimu Salihu
The minister of health and social welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate says Nigeria is doing everything possible to address all funding and policies gaps caused in the nation’s healthcare system as a result of the cut in funding by the United States.
Prof Pate stated, this while speaking at an interactive session with the House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at the National Assembly Complex.
The Minister who said the US decision was sudden, noted that its impact was reduced as a result of the various measures put in place earlier by the federal government through policies and interventions.
He explained that, what helped the Nigeria in the face of the US decision was that, the country had already initiated many programs and interventions that have started yielding results in the healthcare sector through collaboration between the federal , State and local governments in the country.
In his address earlier, Chairman House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Mr. Amobi Ogah, said the committee was meeting with the minister in order to be on the same page with the ministry with the minister and to ensure that programs and projects relating to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria are implemented seamlessly without bottlenecks because of their critical importance in saving the lives of Nigerians.
Mr. Ogah who had Advocated for the creation of a Healthcare Sector Trust Fund to take care of eventualities and gaps in funding reiterated the call for the Federal Government to give needed priority to the nation’s healthcare sector.
He reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly in supporting policies and Programmes of the government aimed at improving the Nigeria Health sector.
