Health
Nigeria Plans to Absorb 28,000 Health Workers After USAID Suspension
- Nigeria plans to absorb 28,000 health workers previously funded by USAID following changes in US foreign aid policy.
- Minister Ali Pate urges the government to invest more in the healthcare sector and reduce reliance on foreign support.
- Federal Executive Council allocates N4.5 billion for HIV treatment procurement as part of efforts to address healthcare challenges.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, revealed over the weekend that the Federal Government plans to absorb 28,000 health workers who were previously funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
EKO HOT BLOG reports that in an interview on Channels Television, Pate stated that the government is prepared to take full ownership of the country’s healthcare system, particularly in light of recent changes in US foreign aid policy.
US President Donald Trump’s executive order on foreign aid had recently led to a funding pause for HIV treatment programs in developing countries, including Nigeria. This policy change also impacted USAID’s operations and the funding of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which supports over 20 million people living with HIV worldwide, including 566,000 children under 15 in Nigeria.
EDITOR’S PICK
- G.10 Marks 4th Anniversary with Palliatives and Educational Support, Urges Youths to Stay Focused
- Tragic Crash in Ayetoro, Epe: One Dead, Another Injured as Speeding Car Slams into Parked Truck
- Atiku Abubakar Disclose Motives Behind Meeting with Olusegun Obasanjo
Despite this, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS confirmed that the US government granted a waiver, allowing continued access to HIV treatment for those in need.
In response to the reduction in foreign aid, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved N4.5 billion for the procurement of HIV treatment packs for Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS.
Pate highlighted that Nigeria has not invested sufficiently in its healthcare sector, and emphasized that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to changing this. He pointed out that over 70 percent of the medications used in the country are imported, and more than 99 percent of medical devices are also brought in from abroad.
The minister noted that government funding accounts for only 30 percent of the country’s health expenditure, with the remaining 70 percent coming from private individuals. While foreign aid has supported the healthcare sector, Pate stressed that it does not constitute the majority of the nation’s healthcare spending.
FURTHER READING
- Heartbreak in Yobe: Politician Loses Six Loved Ones to Chronic Kidney Disease
- Tensions Rise as Hamas Suspends Hostage Release
- UK PM Keir Starmer Urges World Leaders to Take HIV Test
Pate advised both federal and state governments to fill the gap left by the suspension of US aid and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign assistance. He said, “Quality healthcare is not cheap.
We, as a country, have not invested in it yet, and we are asking for the highest quality healthcare. Domestically, we have not invested enough, but we are making deliberate efforts to improve this and allocate investments where they matter.”
He also acknowledged Nigeria’s potential, stating, “We are a capable country and determined to take responsibility.
If others support us, we appreciate it, but we are not begging. We have 28,000 health workers who were being paid through US government support, and while we are grateful for this, we must transition them to local funding. Our approach, long before the change in US policy, has been to increase national ownership of our healthcare system.”
Click HERE For Our Video Of the Week
Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:
Kindly contact us at ekohotblog@gmail.com. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.
Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.
Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611
