Despite the departure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, insists the country can still provide for its inhabitants’ health needs.
Trump’s administration has ordered the elimination of USAID, leaving many countries, particularly in Africa, in confusion and thousands of people who rely on the humanitarian agency’s services startled.
But Pate has asserted that the federal government is unconcerned about the move and is capable of providing healthcare for the people.
“So for us, we are not complaining. We are full of appreciation to the US government for the contribution they have made,” the minister said
He pointed out that the American people have contributed to taking care of more than 1.3 million Nigerians on antiretroviral therapies, tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and child health conditions.
The minister added that the change in US government policy is the determination of the American people. “We can’t complain. What we have determined is that we are primarily responsible for the health of our population,” he acknowledged.
He said the government will cope with the new policy and is working “towards exiting the dependency on external assistance” for healthcare in the country.
“We may be a poor country, but we are a capable country, and we are determined to own up to that responsibility. If others step in and support us, we appreciate it, but we are not begging for it, and we also will live within what we have,” the minister said.
“But we have the responsibility on us as leaders to ensure that our population gets the care they need. The federal government is going to do its part.”
According to him, prior to the new US government policy, Nigerian leadership was moving towards self-sufficiency in the provision of healthcare to its inhabitants.
Pate stated, “At the end of the day, our objective prior to the change in US policy has been to increase national ownership. Increasing domestic resources.
“Improving our healthcare value chain and producing what we use. Strengthening our resilience through surveillance laboratory systems so that we deal with infectious diseases. We never really, let’s say, absolved ourselves of the responsibility for taking care of Nigerians who require government support.”
