Pate: FG Gives Priority to Health Sector, Says 12 Million Girls Have Received HPV Vaccine 

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Mohammad Pate has said that President Bola Tinubu is treating the country’s healthcare system as a national development priority anchored on improved outcomes, stronger systems, and a renewed focus on prevention.

As part of the progress recorded by government, Pate said that since the introduction of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign in October 2023, it has cumulatively reached over 12 million girls aged 9 to 14 nationwide,

Pate who stated this while receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award for Advancing Preventive Healthcare at the Capital Health Award ceremony in Abuja, said that his ministry has received tremendous support from the president in transforming the health sector.

The minister who was represented by his Senior Special Adviser, Barrister Chinedu Moghalu said that government considers preventive healthcare as a strategic pathway to reducing avoidable disease burden, protecting human capital, and improving national productivity.

He said that it was this vision that underscores the effort by the federal government to revive hospital facilities especially at the primary healthcare levels

“This intervention is aligned with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and its Sector Wide Approach, translating evidence into national action through strengthened platforms for primary healthcare and immunisation

“Preventive healthcare is not supplementary. It is a strategic pathway to reducing avoidable disease burden, protecting human capital, and improving national productivity.,” he said.

Pate spoke of the introduction of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine into Nigeria’s national immunisation programme, describing it as a landmark preventive intervention.

“It reflects a clear policy choice to confront cervical cancer not at the point of late diagnosis and hardship, but upstream through prevention, equity, and structured delivery.

“Since its introduction in October 2023, the HPV vaccination campaign has cumulatively reached over 12 million girls aged 9 to 14 nationwide, representing one of the largest preventive health efforts of its kind in the region.

Pate said the progress recognised through the award is the result of a deliberate whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach adopted in the implementation of the national health sector renewal initiative.

Founder of Capital Awards Salomey Eferemo said that Capital Awards was established to promote the health sector.

“This inaugural ceremony marks the formal beginning of an institution devoted to recognising healthcare excellence with dignity, seriousness and permanence. It is not a momentary celebration; it is a national record,” he said.