HEALTH MINISTER INAUGURATES PROJECTS IN BAYELSA, ADVOCATES STATES/FG PARTNERSHIP IN FUNDING HEALTH CARE SERVICES 11-02-25
By Sadiq Aminu The coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammadu Ali Pate, has expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome United States President Donald Trump’s new sweeping health policy changes, particularly the halt to funding of health care interventions in developing countries.
He stated this in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital while inaugurating the Bayelsa State Haemodialysis Centre and the General outpatient Centre at the three hundred and fifty bed hospital at the Bayelsa Medical University, as part of weeklong activities to mark Governor Douye Diri’s five years in office.
The Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare said it was imperative for all tiers of government to work in synergy to harness the country’s resources to provide for the health needs of citizens.
While giving thumbs up to Governor Douye Diri for establishing the Haemodialysis Centre in the state, Professor Muhammadu Ali Pate said the President had issued directives to develop a Medical Relief Programme to provide support to the people to reduce the cost of access to health care.
He emphasized that the Federal government was revitalizing many primary health care centres across the country with over two thousand of such facilities in different stages of being revamped.
Earlier, Governor Douye Diri said he was motivated to establish the medical facility when he became governor following the death of his mother from renal failure complications in 2013.
The governor who paid glowing tributes to the first civilian Governor of Bayelsa State Late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha for initiating the 500 bed hospital two decades ago and his predecessor Senator Seriake Dickson for converting part of the facility to a medical university, directed the Commissioner for Health Professor Seiyefa Brisibe and the Vice Chancellor of the Bayelsa Medical University, BMU, Professor Dimie Ogoina to ensure that the hospital was fully functional in six months’ time.
Governor Diri also expressed appreciation to the Minister of Health, Professor Pate for approving Bayelsa State as one of the first states in the federation to have the malaria vaccines, describing the state as a tropical area and one of the most infested by Malaria.
The Minister also inaugurated the Zipline Drone Flight Services for the distribution of medical supplies and consumables, as well as the 800meter concrete access road to the Facility.