Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, has donated N1 billion to support tuberculosis (TB) initiatives across the country and advocated for local vaccine manufacturing.
The donation was announced by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Pate, via his X handle on Thursday.
The contribution was made during the High-Level Event: Political Leadership to End Tuberculosis, which took place alongside the 38th Board Meeting of the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership Global.
Themed “Public-Private Partnership and Integrated Service Delivery: Panacea to End Tuberculosis in Nigeria,” the event focused on the need for collaboration across sectors to tackle the disease, which disproportionately affects Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.
Dr. Muhammad Pate praised the First Lady’s leadership role, describing it as transformative for Nigeria’s health sector.
“Today marked a significant milestone for Nigeria’s health transformation as Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, hosted this important event,” Dr. Pate said.
First Lady’s role as global and national Tuberculosis champion
Dr. Pate highlighted the First Lady’s pivotal role as both the Global and National Stop Tuberculosis Champion.
He emphasized her commitment to driving Nigeria’s efforts to combat Tuberculosis.
“Her personal commitment, underscored by a generous N1 billion donations to support Tuberculosis initiatives and her advocacy for local manufacturing of Tuberculosis vaccines, has positioned Nigeria as a key player in addressing global health challenges,” he noted.
- Dr. Pate also highlighted that the event coincided with Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, marking the first anniversary of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Initiative (NHSRII) launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on December 12, 2023.
- The initiative, anchored in the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), has made significant strides over the past year in improving healthcare access and delivery across the country.
- The coordinating minister, outlined the key achievements, noting that the National Health Insurance Authority expanded coverage by 2 million Nigerians, bringing the total to 19.4 million insured individuals.
“This expansion has been instrumental in reducing financial barriers to healthcare and ensuring that more Nigerians have access to essential services,” Dr. Pate said.
Revitalizing primary healthcare and maternal health improvements
Dr. Pate further highlighted that 238 primary healthcare centers (PHCs) have been revitalized, with 300 more underway, and efforts are in progress to restore 4,000 PHCs with the support of development partners.
“Significant progress has also been made in maternal health, with 1,000 fistula repairs completed and free emergency obstetric services steadily being introduced.”
Dr. Pate also said that more than 53,000 healthcare workers have been retrained as part of our broader plan to retrain 120,000 workers, ensuring improved quality of care and addressing gaps in service delivery.
“The expansion of specialized healthcare services includes the upcoming opening of the first two hugely revamped cancer treatment centers by May 2025, with four more to follow, along with ongoing upgrades to tertiary healthcare facilities,” he added.
According to Dr. Pate, through partnerships with the private sector, critical opportunities within the healthcare value chain have been unlocked, creating jobs and enhancing service delivery across the nation.
He added that the integration of Tuberculosis care into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system remains vital to achieving UHC.
Challenges in healthcare financing
Despite these achievements, Dr. Pate acknowledged that significant challenges remain, particularly in healthcare financing.
“With only $15 per capita currently invested in health, and high out-of-pocket expenses challenging many households, Nigeria still faces substantial gaps in access and affordability.”
“To address these, President Tinubu has approved the Medical Relief Program, set to begin in an expanded fashion in the next budget cycle, which will reduce healthcare costs for the most vulnerable populations,” he stated.
The achievements under the NHSRII and SWAp demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to building a more resilient, effective, and equitable health system.
“With continued collective action, we are on the path to achieving UHC and ensuring better healthcare for all Nigerians,” Dr. Pate concluded.
