In a recent meeting with a delegation from prominent global health organisations, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, reaffirmed the new administration’s unwavering dedication to increasing domestic health financing, fostering health industrialisation, and enhancing healthcare outcomes across the nation.
The delegation, representing the Global Health Partners—comprising the Global Fund, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)—paid a courtesy visit to the Vice President at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.
![Vice President Kashim Shettima ( R ), with Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate during Vice President](/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WhatsApp-Image-2023-09-12-at-11.39.32-PM-1-1024x682.jpeg)
In a statement issued by the Director of Information at the Office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola, Shettima emphasised President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to revitalising Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“I want to assure you that we are determined to catapult the nation to a higher pedestal,” he declared. “We are committed to changing the narrative of inclusive growth, of a Nigeria where every black man will be proud of.”
Shettima extolled President Tinubu’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to reforming the nation, as evidenced by the appointment of the Minister of Health.
He called upon global health partners and other stakeholders in the healthcare sector to lend their support to the new leadership in realising the President’s vision for all Nigerians.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, explained that the visit by the global health partners aimed to assess progress in combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis (TB), and other health challenges.
Prof. Pate underscored the partners’ confidence in Nigeria’s President and his vision for transforming the healthcare system, announcing a substantial commitment of nearly $2 billion in grant financing for the health of Nigerians over the next three years.
“This remarkable commitment reflects their confidence in our President’s vision and approach, working collaboratively with state and local governments,” he noted.
Prof. Pate also outlined plans to retrain 120,000 frontline health workers within the next 12 to 18 months, enhancing primary healthcare services and resilience in the face of health crises.
![Vice President Kashim Shettima ( M), with members of the Global Health Partners after their Meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday](/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WhatsApp-Image-2023-09-12-at-11.39.32-PM-2-1024x622.jpeg)
John Nkengasong, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, emphasised the significance of the visit, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Government’s support to Nigeria’s fight against HIV/AIDS through the PEPFAR initiative. He applauded the health minister’s clarity of vision and commitment to building an inclusive health system.
Peter Sands of the Global Fund and David Walton of the President’s Malaria Initiative also lauded the Nigerian government’s efforts in combatting Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and TB.
The meeting was attended by dignitaries, including the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Gambo Aliyu; U.S. Consul General in Lagos, Will Stevens; and WHO Country Representative, Walter Mulombo, demonstrating a shared commitment to the advancement of Nigeria’s healthcare sector.