Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammadu Ali Pate, has advocated for the effective allocation of available resources in the health sector, prioritizing primary health care while promoting local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
He said these suggestions can accelerate the achievement of SDG 3 – Good health and well-being in Nigeria.
Prof. Pâte shared these insights during a panel discussion titled “From Challenges to Change: Enhancing Global South Health through Collaboration” at the 2024 Doha Forum held in Qatar.
Nadder Kabbani, the Director of Research at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, moderated the session.
Since 2003, the Doha Forum has served as a platform for promoting dialogue, bringing together policymakers to discuss critical challenges facing the world and build innovative and action-driven networks.
The 22nd Doha Forum, 2024 edition, will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, Doha, from December 7th to 8th, 2024, with the theme “the Innovation Imperative.”
According to Pate, the global south must begin to pre-empt health challenges and nip them in the bud.
He said this is far better than the present reactive response, which costs more resources and sometimes results in casualties.
Highlighting the Gates Foundation’s far-reaching interventions in healthcare delivery in Nigeria, the foundation’s President of Global Development, Dr. Chris Elias, emphasized the need to prioritize preventative Healthcare in the Global South by strengthening primary healthcare systems and promoting healthy lifestyles.
On her part, Sheikha Haya Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Qatar Fund for Development, stressed the necessity of clearly articulating and communicating countries’ healthcare needs for more effective and impactful external funding given scarce resources.
Bience Gawanas, the Vice Chair of the Global Fund, emphasized the importance of effective collaboration and achieving local ownership of healthcare interventions.
