By Segun Awofadeji
A group known as, Democracy and Good Governance Forum, North-East has lauded the performances of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, for transformation of the country's health sector.
The Democracy and Good Governance Forum North East is a non governmental organization, non political and non religious outfit that usually itemize and identify the contributions of individuals or groups most especially citizens of the north east sub region devoid of any political or religious differences.
The organization has been in the forefront advocating for peaceful coexistence amongst the diverse ethno-religious groups in the subregion, as well as repeated calls for government to end the age long insurgency activities in the North-East.
Chairman, Democracy and Good Governance Forum North East, Comrade Sulaiman Ahmad Bauchi, in a statement, made available to newsmen described Prof Mohammed Ali Pate as a performing Minister whose wealth of experience and exposure has closed the health gap Nigeria was experiencing in the past, calling on President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to continue to support him.
According to him, "From his days at the Bill and Millinda Gate foundation, the world health organization, as Minister of state for health during former president Goodluck Jonathan and now current Coordinating Minister of Health and social welfare under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate deserves commendation for his commitment towards transforming the health sector generally."
He stressed that, "This is out of our organisation's shared vision and concern towards the continues growth and development of Nigeria and not because of any affiliation."
The group itemized the initiatives of the coordinating Minister of Health and social welfare Prof Mohammed Ali Pate under the President Bola Tinubu led administration to include reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity and free access to health facilities by pregnant women and children under five years of age across the country which has now made hospital services affordable to the common man.
Another is the cost of dialysis services at various teaching hospitals has been reduced from N50000 to N12000 making such services affordable to the common man as against the past.
He added that, "Prof Mohammed Ali Pate has broken the jinx in the areas of hospital staff and medical officers in various federal hospitals to address the age long man power gabs in Nigeria's many health facilities, thereby reducing to the Barest minimum medical tourisms abroad, through the construction of cancer care centres in Katsina, Enugu and Edo states with more underway."
Under his watch, Primary Healthcare Centres across the country are working effectively, providing basic healthcare services to the people at the grassroots as records indicated that over one thousand of such hospitals have been constructed across Nigeria.
He added that currently over N86.8 billion under the basic healthcare provision fund has since been channelled for that purposes.
Comrade Sulaiman Ahmad Bauchi added that over 61,700 medical health workers have been trained to enable them deliver on their mandate.
Furthermore, "Cesarian operations during childbirth is currently free of charge under the present arrangements spearheaded by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare."
"As we speak we have over four million people that are under the national health insurance scheme across Nigeria and more are underway to enjoy effective health care services, the first in the history of Nigeria" The statement revealed.
The group cited as example, the establishment of new Teaching Hospital in Azare, the headquarters of Katagum local government area, new Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Misau of Misau local government area, the new cancer center at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa university Teaching Hospital, Bauchi all in Bauchi state as some of the coordinating Minister's efforts to transform the health sector in Nigeria."
Sulaiman Ahmad Bauchi added that in the two years of his stewardship as Minister, over 61 health facilities have either been constructed, rehabilitated or stocked with medical consumables for the good of the people and currently prof Mohammed Ali Pate has attracted the sum of 3.4 billion US Dollars as intervention in the health sector alone.
As a grassroot politician, from Misau local government area of Bauchi state, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate has demonstrated his love and passion for the health needs of Nigerians giving the number of achievements and the heights achieved so far in the span of just two years.
The Democracy and Good Governance Forum, North East therefore called on President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to continue to support the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate as his administration's policies and programmes in the health sector are working with Nigerians having full confidence in the Minister's health policies and programmes.
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