The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has affirmed that Nigeria can sustain its healthcare system despite the withdrawal of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
US President Donald Trump ordered the closure of USAID, leaving many countries, particularly in Africa, uncertain about the future of humanitarian aid.
However, Pate stated that the Federal Government is not concerned about the decision and is fully capable of funding healthcare for its citizens.
Government Appreciates US Contributions
“So for us, we are not complaining. We are full of appreciation to the US government for the contributions they have made,” the minister said on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme on Friday.
“The American people have helped care for over 1.3 million Nigerians on antiretroviral therapies, tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and child health conditions.
“The change in US government policy is the decision of the American people. We can’t complain. What we have determined is that we are primarily responsible for the health of our population.”
Moving Towards Self-Sufficiency
Pate assured that the government is prepared to adapt to the new policy and is working towards reducing reliance on external assistance for healthcare.
“We may be a poor country, but we are a capable country, and we are determined to own up to that responsibility. If others support us, we appreciate it, but we are not begging for it and will live within our means,” he stated.
He emphasised that before the recent US policy shift, Nigeria had already been working towards self-sufficiency in healthcare provision.
“At the end of the day, our approach long before this policy change has been focused on increasing national ownership, boosting domestic resources, improving our healthcare value chain, and strengthening our resilience through surveillance laboratory systems to combat infectious diseases.
“We have never absolved ourselves of the responsibility of providing care for Nigerians who require government support.”