New Minister of Health, Ali Pate, has emphasized on the need to upscale the health standard of Nigeria to curb medical tourism.
Speaking on Monday upon his resumption of office at the Ministry, with Kachollom Daju, the permanent secretary at the ministry of health, Pate said the gap in the health outcome in the country is a source of worry that needs urgent attention.
According to him:
“When you fly from Addis Ababa to New Delhi 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 regard as normal,” he said.
“We should do something about it and improve our health outcomes.
“It is important that we deal with the issues of governance to improve the governance of health.
“The federal government, states and local governments and other stakeholders will work together, including those who may be differently abled in the construct of health policy and implementation.”
Pate while expressing enthusiasm to kickstart appreciated the President for his choice and confidence in him and his counterpart.
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“There is an important signal in the choice of those assigned the health portfolio, and we are very excited about that,” he said.
“I think the fact that the president also included social welfare in the health portfolio indicates he also considers the people as the basis; the foundational element for what his administration tries to do.
“This is because the welfare of the people is linked to their health; their health and well-being are interconnected right from gestation to childhood, to adulthood to elderly, and all across the life cycle.
Ali Pate also pointed out the impart of a better health system in Nigeria’s economy.
This is what he had to say:
“We need to grow our economy, but we also need to attend to the people and health is an important component of that and I think that is one signal that is important.
The president is the driver and we will follow and we will work hard to ensure that our driver takes us to the desired destination; the vision that he has of transforming this country.
“The president realises that Nigerians are eager to feel the impact of government so that people feel the difference that his `Renewed Hope’ agenda actually begins to touch the lives of people and we are right where it can be done.”
