The Minister of Health and social welfare, Ali Pate, has said that the federal government is exploring all avenues to ensure adequate financing of the health sector to make it live up to its responsibilities.

He said this at the ongoing 6th annual general meeting (AGM) and scientific conference of the Association of Radiologists in Nigeria (ARIN) and the 60th AGM of Association of Radiologists in West Africa (ARAWA).

Represented by Jimoh-Olawale Salaudeen, the special assistant to the minister, Mr Pate said, “The government is planning to generate more funds through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

“The move is on to expand the scheme to accommodate more people to make the plan come through.

“It is clear that there are problems at the grassroots with budget, as it is inadequate to take care of the needs of the health sector.”

Mr Pate, however, said the federal government is exploring different avenues to ensure adequate funding.

He said, “Let us start from the issue of insurance; the National Health Insurance has been reinvigorated; we are trying to expand it to cover more people, and whatever funds that come from it will be reinvested into the health sector.

“Another way is the issue of Public Private Partnership (PPP), as many international partners are interested in the health sector.

“The Federal Government is exploring the avenue in which such partners can come with their facilities to support the sector.

“Recently, some international communities were willing to partner with Nigeria in terms of recruitment.”

The minister also said that the government was moving toward producing its own drugs and vaccines and becoming an industrial hub with its value chain, saying, “These are the potential the country has.”

According to him, the experience of COVID-19 has really taught the present administration more lessons, especially on the need to prepare for the unforeseen, as well as the need to revive the health sector.

He said, “The government is also working towards improving factories in Lagos and every other place to start producing goods abundantly and make Nigeria self-reliant.”

The minister added that the country is moving towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), stressing that a lot is really going on to achieve the feat.

(NAN)