By Muhammad Amaan
The Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for strengthening the economy and improving maternal and child health.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said this at the end of the National Economic Council (NEC), held at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Wednesday.
Pate said that Gates pledged his foundation’s continued partnership with the Federal and State Governments in the sector wide approach to health that was unveiled in December, 2023.
“As you all know we received Bill Gates on a two-day visit to Nigeria. I think Mr Bill Gates presentation to the council identified and commended the government of Nigeria in its efforts to strengthened the economy.
“And also, the work that is underway in health, maternal and child in particular, immunisation and other areas including agriculture. He (Bill Gates) commended the Federal Government as well as the state governments for their efforts in that direction.
“In fact, Mr Gates praised President Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Agenda which was an important element that despite the challenges that Nigeria is facing, Nigeria can get through these challenges and have a brighter future ahead of it.”
He disclosed that a Taskforce Committee of the NEC was established to be chaired by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state.
Other members are the governors of Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina states, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and the Director-General of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).
“Others are the NEC Secretariat, representatives of UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO), the Special Assistant to the President on NEC and the representative of Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Director-General of the Nigerian Governors Forum.”
He explained that the standing commission was to report on a monthly basis on polio eradication, links to immunisation and also efforts to revive the Nigeria primary health system.
“Also following the discussions on flooding and food systems, there was a conversation around the state of nutrition in Nigeria because nutrition is key to Nigeria’s human capital development.
“And the need for federal government’s efforts to deliver relief and also to be complemented by the state government.
“Key decisions were taken to include a food and nutrition security taskforce which we have already established at the federal government level but the state will also mirror which is a multi-sectoral governance coordination platform.
“This will ensure that we address the challenge of acute malnutrition, and over time the challenge that we are faced with as a country.
“And to ensure that the resources is being put in place in the 2025 budget as we come towards that circle, so that states also have line items for budget on nutrition just as the federal government will also do that.”
He said that government plans to deliver the interventions on multi-sectoral way to ensure that children would be healthy and have the cognitive capacity that would drive prosperity in future.
