Eko Hot Blog reports that the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on Wednesday, paid a work visit to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos.
The visit was part of the minister’s three-day tour of medical facilities in Lagos State.
During the visit, he engaged the institute’s Director-General, Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako, to better understand the challenges facing the institution and explore solutions to enhance the health sector and improve research and innovation.
Speaking with media houses, including Eko Hot Blog, the NIMR boss shed light on the institute’s remarkable achievements.
“We are delighted to host Hon. Tunji Alausa during his tour. Our institute has made significant contributions, including the discovery of a new malaria vector in Nigeria, Anopheles Stephenzi in Gombe State. We have also developed an app to monitor patients and produced standard medical kits,” Prof. Salako said.
“However, we face challenges such as insufficient funding for research and researchers, a shortage of trained personnel, unstable power supply, high energy costs, malfunctioning satellite stations, and limited grants from within the country or government, with most of our funding coming from outside.”
Dr. Alausa, on his part, expressed his deep appreciation for the dedicated team at NIMR and shared his commitment to improving Nigeria’s health system.
He also acknowledged the essential role of NIMR in addressing crucial health challenges, highlighting the pressing need to bolster the nation’s vaccine production capacity and the healthcare sector as a whole.
“We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for entrusting us with the ministry. It’s disheartening that a nation of over 200 million people hasn’t been able to produce vaccines,” the minister said.
“We lack Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), only having Finished Pharmaceutical Products (FPP). We have talented individuals eager to contribute, but what we need is leadership to support people like you. We will work diligently to rectify this.”
“We must view health beyond physical security and consider it a matter of social security and national security. We all witnessed the challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we must prepare for such situations. NIMR plays a crucial role in this.
“The President has a robust agenda for the health sector, which is why Hon. Pate and I were appointed. We pledge substantial support to address NIMR’s challenges and ensure its optimal performance.”
During a question and answer session, Dr. Alausa encouraged NIMR to allocate a portion of its internal revenue to support underprivileged patients, reinforcing that the government is already investing significantly in the health sector.
He also addressed the need for health insurance and improved accommodation for patients and healthcare workers, promising to work towards these improvements.
The minister also attended a conference at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Yaba where he also spoke about the Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to a robust health system.
The visits underscore the government’s dedication to enhancing healthcare in Nigeria, preparing for unforeseen challenges, and ensuring that institutions like NIMR receive the support they need to play a pivotal role in the nation’s health system.
See more photos from day one of rhe minister’s tour below:
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