By Adetokunbo FAKEYE
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako on Friday, 9th May, 2025 stated that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritized health as a foundational pillar for national development addressing the health of the citizens as an urgent matter of right for all.
Dr. Salako, stated this in his opening remarks at the 26th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers, held in Praia, Cape Verde.
According to him, “under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the manifesto policy document of the President, we are pursuing bold reforms through the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), anchored by our Health Sector Strategic Blueprint. This initiative being implemented through a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) emphasizes alignment, efficiency, and inclusiveness.
“Our core objective is simple but ambitious: to save lives, reduce physical pains, ringfence against financial hardship in accessing quality healthcare, and provide healthcare for all Nigerians. We are investing in primary health care revitalization as a key strategy.
“In recognition of the fact that effectively health system must begin at the community level, a substantial number of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) had been upgraded to functional status, and more are in the pipeline with the goal of revitalizing at least 17,000 PHCs by 2027.
“To support this, we have embarked on a nationwide training programme for frontline health workers.
“So far, nearly 50,000 health workers have been trained out of a target of 120,000; equipping them with the skills needed to provide integrated, people-centred primary care services. We are expanding and improving our community health officers programme and implementing a robust task shifting policy. Our aim is to ensure that every man or woman, child or adult, every household has access to quality care close to where they live.
“We are also taking deliberate steps to strengthen local manufacturing in the health sector through the a special initiative of the president to unlock healthcare value chain including our phytomedicine resources.
“Under the instrumentality of a Presidential Executive Order, we are promoting domestic production of vaccines, medicines, and medical supplies by eliminating burdesome tarrifs on machineries, active pharmaceutical ingredients and other inputs for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“This will not only reduce dependency on imports and lower costs but also stimulate local investment and job creation, thereby contributing to national and regional economic development”.
Below is the full speech:
OPENING REMARKS BY DR IZIAQ ADEKUNLE SALAKO, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE, FEDERALREPUBLIC OF NIGERIA DELIVERED AT THE 26TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ECOWAS ASSEMBLY OF HEALTH MINISTERS HELD ON FRIDAY MAY 9TH, 2025 AT PRAIA, CAPE VERDE
Protocols
It is a great honour and privilege to address this esteemed gathering at the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Health Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States.
I bring you warm greetings from the President of my country who is also the chairman of ECOWAS, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Coordinating Minister for health and social welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, the entire Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I would like to start by appreciating the Government and people of Cape Verde through the Prime Minister here present for the warm hospitality accorded to us all and for the excellent arrangements made for this meeting. Your commitment to hosting this gathering reaffirms your commitment to the vision of regional health solidarity and collaboration.
I also thank the West African Health Organization (WAHO) under the capable leadership of the Director General and his team for their tireless efforts to develop our regional health systems. WAHO continues to be a unifying platform offering technical assistance, promoting capacity development, and strengthening regional health security and integration agendas. Your work is crucial, and we acknowledge your continued efforts.
Dear colleagues, this Assembly comes at a crucial time. The global and regional health landscape is evolving rapidly. From emerging diseases to health financing gaps, from human resources for health shortages, heavy health workers migration from most ECOWAS countries to Europe and America, community-level service delivery challenges and so on, our systems are under significant strain. Yet, amid these challenges, there are opportunities; opportunities to rethink, reimagine, recreate and reinvigorate our healthcare systems.
Against this background, the theme of this year’s session, “Community Health Principles and Standards,” is particularly pertinent. Reflecting on the journey from the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978, we are reminded of the importance of placing people and communities at the heart of our health systems. The principle of community ownership, equity, and access to essential health services remains a cornerstone for achieving universal health coverage.
Despite several decades of efforts in our nations, health data in the ECOWAS sub-region continue to be below world averages. Excessive maternal and child mortality persists. Equitable access to necessary health care continues to elude us. These realities challenge us to move beyond fragmented approaches and recommit to an integrated, community-driven strategy with primary health care at its foundation.
In Nigeria, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritized health as a foundational pillar for national development addressing the health of the citizens as an urgent matter of right for all.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the manifesto policy document of the President, we are pursuing bold reforms through the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), anchored by our Health Sector Strategic Blueprint. This initiative being implemented through a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) emphasizes alignment, efficiency, and inclusiveness.
Our core objective is simple but ambitious: to save lives, reduce physical pains, ringfence against financial hardship in accessing quality healthcare, and provide healthcare for all Nigerians. We are investing in primary health care revitalization as a key strategy.
In recognition of the fact that effectively health system must begin at the community level, a substantial number of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) had been upgraded to functional status, and more are in the pipeline with the goal of revitalizing at least 17,000 PHCs by 2027.
To support this, we have embarked on a nationwide training programme for frontline health workers.
So far, nearly 50,000 health workers have been trained out of a target of 120,000; equipping them with the skills needed to provide integrated, people-centred primary care services. We are expanding and improving our community health officers programme and implementing a robust task shifting policy. Our aim is to ensure that every man or woman, child or adult, every household has access to quality care close to where they live.
We are also taking deliberate steps to strengthen local manufacturing in the health sector through the a special initiative of the president to unlock healthcare value chain including our phytomedicine resources. Under the instrumentality of a Presidential Executive Order, we are promoting domestic production of vaccines, medicines, and medical supplies by eliminating burdesome tarrifs on machineries, active pharmaceutical ingredients and other inputs for pharmaceutical manufacturing. This will not only reduce dependency on imports and lower costs but also stimulate local investment and job creation, thereby contributing to national and regional economic development.
In response to donor transitions and the withdrawal of key external funds, the Federal Government of Nigeria has mobilized $200 million domestic resources to fill the gap and sustain life-saving interventions for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria , three of the deadliest diseases in our region. This bold step reflects our commitment to health sovereignty and sustainability.
Furthermore, the recent granting of financial autonomy to Local Government, the third tier of our federation which is closest to the community is being implemented as a game changer for grassroots development, especially in strengthening the governance and functionality of PHCs. This policy is designed to drive decentralization, improve accountability, and ensure that communities are active participants in their own health outcomes.
We are increasing the penetration of digital technology in our healthcare system through the Nigeria Digital in-Health Initiative to improve access, continuity of care, quality, stewardship and data driven policy decisions.
Your Excellencies, dear colleagues, these initiatives reflect Nigeria’s commitment to regional solidarity and shared progress. We are eager to learn from your experiences and best practices. Whether it is in community engagement, health financing, digital health innovation, or human resource deployment, we believe that our strength as a region lies in our ability to collaborate, share, and act together.
Nigeria will like to use the opportunity of this Assembly to reaffirm her commitment to the ECOWAS Vision 2050, particularly as it pertains to health-related objectives. Our conviction is that we all must leverage forums such as this Assembly to harmonize, come to consensus, and forge cross-border alliances.
Health is not just a national issue; it is regional and global. The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that if everyone is not safe, nobody is safe.
It also critical to use this forum to emphasize the importance of political will in driving health reforms. Policy without action is mere rhetoric. We, as leaders, must be bold in our decisions and steadfast in our implementation with the realization that spending on health is not a cost, it is an investment over the long term in human capital, productivity, and stability.
As we begin to deliberate today, I urge us to do so with open minds and shared purpose. Let us question assumptions, explore innovations, and reaffirm our collective vision for a healthier West Africa.
We owe this to our citizens. We owe it to future generations, we owe it to humanity.
In conclusion, I once again thank the Government of Cape Verde for their gracious hospitality. I commend my colleague health ministers and our esteem development partners for your presence and unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes in our region.
Let this Assembly be remembered not only for dialogue but for purpose, vision, and action.
Thank you, and I wish us all productive and impactful discussions.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, God bless our different countries, God bless ECOWAS.
