Ali Pate, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has stated that patients from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the West African region are increasingly seeking medical treatment in Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, Pate noted that while the healthcare sector faces challenges, progress is being made in strengthening medical services.
“There is a growing number of patients coming from the subregion and even as far as the UK and the US to receive medical care in Nigeria,” he said.
- CHRICED Urges ASKOJ to Drive Media Campaign on Kano’s Health Crisis
- Lack of Water and Sanitation Facilities Plagues Most Health Centers in Bauchi
- 86,000 Children Benefit from Radio-Based Education Program in Northern Nigeria
He also announced the federal government’s approval of contracts for upgrading tertiary healthcare facilities, including a ₦12 billion allocation for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment in six teaching hospitals.
“This investment in diagnostic infrastructure is aimed at enhancing the capacity of tertiary hospitals to provide high-quality medical services,” Pate stated.
Additionally, the minister highlighted Nigeria’s ratification of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) Treaty, which aims to standardize medical regulatory frameworks across Africa.
Adopted by the African Union in 2019, the treaty is designed to improve access to safe and effective medical products across the continent. According to Pate, 37 AU member states have signed the treaty, with 26 completing the ratification process.
“The FEC has directed that Nigeria take all necessary steps to fully implement this treaty,” he said, adding that the move will facilitate the expansion of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry and align local medical production with international standards.
