• Health Minister Urges Focus on Existing Cardiovascular Units Over New Institutes
The Minister of Health, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, has cautioned against duplicating health institutions across Nigeria, especially in light of limited financial resources.
Pate issued this warning during a public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions, which considered 16 bills for establishing various health institutions on Thursday.
Speaking through a representative, Dr. Jimoh Salahudeen, a Director in the Ministry, Professor Pate acknowledged the House’s dedication to advancing healthcare through training and research initiatives.
However, he pointed out that “health sector research, including cardiology, is already ongoing at various levels in Nigeria,” and the establishment of additional institutes would create an added financial burden.
This, he noted, would counter the government’s efforts to streamline agencies and reduce expenditure.
The Minister emphasized that current facilities, including federal teaching hospitals and federal medical centers, are already equipped to handle cardiovascular diseases and conduct related research.
“All the Federal Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres in Nigeria, including those in the North-West geopolitical zones, already have the mandate to treat cardiovascular diseases, conduct research, and train healthcare professionals, including specialists in managing cardiovascular cases,” Pate explained.
He listed key facilities in the North-West, such as Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital in Kano State, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto, and Federal Medical Centers in Bauchi, Kebbi, Jigawa, and Zamfara States.
These hospitals, he stated, have not been overstretched and continue to serve their regions effectively.
“These Federal Tertiary Hospitals’ Cardiovascular Units have not been overstretched nor have they underserviced their communities,” he added, emphasizing the need for efficient utilization of these existing resources.
Pate also highlighted the role of the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, which coordinates medical research nationwide, similar to health research institutes in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Ghana, and Senegal.
He further noted that colleges of health technology, spread across the nation, ensure the training of middle-level health professionals in various specialties such as nursing, radiography, and dental therapy.
Addressing the ongoing challenge of healthcare worker migration, Pate stressed the importance of reinforcing existing cardiovascular units by ensuring adequate medical personnel, particularly during this time of “massive brain drain.”
He advocated for balanced decision-making based on disease burden, geographic distribution, and population density.
“While new institutions should be strategically placed, strengthening existing ones is crucial, especially amid the current brain drain,” Pate argued.
Committee Chairman Hon. Amos Gwamna Magaji echoed these concerns, noting that the migration of health professionals for better opportunities abroad poses a significant challenge to Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Magaji remarked, “The core of this hearing is to guide the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding healthcare access through a well-distributed network of healthcare institutions.”
He also pointed to Nigeria’s growing population, emphasizing that accessible healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas, are critical to the success of government initiatives aimed at improving the nation’s healthcare system.
Magaji added that the Federal Government must address disparities in the distribution of tertiary health institutions to ensure that health manpower is equitably available across the country.
