Health Minister, Pate assures on reversing medical tourism, healthcare services

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

The new Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, yesterday assured Nigerians of his government readiness to improve healthcare services and reverse the trend of medical tourism in Nigeria.

Pate stated this when he resumed office as the coordinating minister of health and social welfare in Abuja Monday.

He said that It is important that the government deal with the issues of governance to improve healthcare services in the country.

Pate said that Federal, state, and Local governments and other actors must work together, including those who may be differently abled, in the construction and implementation of health policy.

According to him:“When you fly from Addis Ababa to India, you see a lot of people going for medical tourism, and it is not something we in the health sector should rest on our oars and see as normal. We should do something about it and improve our health outcomes”,.

The minister also said that the economic value chain that exists in the health sector should be harnessed, maintaining that the role was for the private sector in health even though the mission was a core public mission.

He said: “The agenda to harness that has to be carefully crafted, with every stakeholder being a part of the conversation.

“President Tinubu signalled an intent for his administration in selecting those he assigned as ministers to the health sector.”

“There is an important signal in there, and we are very excited about that”.

Pate who once served as Minister of State for health, solicited the support of the entire staff of the ministry in moving the health sector to the expected position.