The Federal Government has said it is taking decisive action to ensure that Nigerians no longer face the painful choice between seeking medical care and meeting their basic survival needs.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, while speaking at the commemoration of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day 2025 on Friday in Abuja, said UHC is a national economic strategy, adding that health is key to human capital, so that children learn well, teachers teach, the military defends the country and trade and investment prosper.
As he spoke further, Pate said CSU’s 2025 theme, “We’re sick of this,” captured the daily struggle faced by millions of people around the world.
Pate recalled joining global health leaders in Tokyo earlier in the year, noting that despite progress, “millions of people do not have access to basic services, and in Nigeria, too many families have been pushed into poverty due to disease and the cost of access to health.”
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu’s stance is unwavering: “No Nigerian should have to choose between the health and well-being of their families.”
According to him, the government’s vision is clear: “to get to that point where a family should not have to choose between paying for healthcare and buying food for their children. That vision has driven what we have done in the last three years.”
Pate highlighted the extensive reforms undertaken under the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, describing them as a shift towards “one plan, one budget, one conversation”. He congratulated state governments, development partners, federal agencies and regulators for “piloting together to advance this idea.”
Someone who is healthy can have a thousand wishes, but someone who is sick only has one: to be healthy.”
He highlighted increased government investment, improved leadership at the state level, expanded direct financing of facilities and increased utilization of primary health care, which he said has quadrupled in three years.
“Some facilities are dysfunctional, yes, but many are functioning. It depends on whether you want to see the glass half full or half empty,” he said.
On maternal and neonatal health, Pate noted measurable progress.
“We have seen a 17 percent reduction in maternal deaths in centers implementing the MAMI initiative, compared to the 2023 baseline. The work is not done, but the trajectory is beginning to change.”
He also cited major developments in local manufacturing, including “the inauguration of West Africa’s largest dual active ingredient mosquito net factory in Edo State.”
The plant, he said, demonstrates that “local production is no longer a concept; by 2026, networks will be produced here in Nigeria.”
Pate said citizens’ confidence in the health system is increasing, and surveys show greater confidence in the government’s handling of health emergencies and system reforms. Still, he admitted that affordability remains a pressing challenge.
“We are nowhere near claiming victory, but we are changing the trajectory, which for many years has not been the case.”
Dr. Pavel Ursu, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), said families around the world still face the impossible choice of paying for care or meeting basic needs.
“People are in a situation of very difficult decisions. They have to decide whether to seek care or pay school fees. It’s a heavy burden,” he said.
Ursu noticed positive signs in Nigeria’s progress. “Service coverage is increasing and financial protection, even globally, is improving slightly,” he warned that “financial protection remains our most difficult challenge.”
He praised Nigeria’s role in upholding the landmark 2025 World Health Assembly resolution on global health financing, describing its reforms as “remarkable.”
He called for more investment: “More prepaid internal resources are the best remedy to counteract excessive out-of-pocket payments.”
Ursu added that Nigeria’s new accountability measures, which track pooled resources, monitor out-of-pocket spending and link data to outcomes, show “impact-focused policymaking.”
On CSU Day, he said, the global health community renews its shared promise of “health for all and leaving no one behind.”
Dr. Oluwatosin Kolade, UNFPA sexual and reproductive health specialist, said universal health coverage is “a fundamental human right.”
According to him, Nigerians deserve a system where “every woman, man and child has access to quality health services without financial hardship.”
Kolade highlighted that investments in health directly influence national development.
“When we invest in health, we invest in a prosperous future, calling for accelerating efforts to end unmet family planning needs, preventable maternal deaths and gender-based violence. He praised Pate for her leadership: “Her dedication and commitment to making health empowerment a reality is clear.”
Africa CDC Technical Director Titilola Munkail hailed Nigeria as a continental leader. “Nigeria remains a central reference point for all member states on the continent,” he said, citing advances in domestic financing, community health systems and digital innovation.
“We remain very proud of his leadership and the progress Nigeria has made,” he added, pledging that Africa CDC “will continue to support Nigeria every step of the way.”
Concluding the ceremony, Pate urged all governments, partners and communities to stand firm on the promise of universal health coverage.
“Let’s re-engage,” he said.
“Let us make healthcare more affordable over time and ensure that no one is left behind, because Nigerians are fed up with unaffordable healthcare costs and we must fix it.”
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