The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has expressed deep concern over the pervasive corruption in Nigeria’s health sector. He described it as a “very deep issue” that affects the country’s overall well-being.
Speaking at a one-day conference organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja, Prof. Pate shared a recent example to highlight the severity of the problem. “I recently dealt with a case where therapeutic food donated for children was diverted. Somebody raised grants, brought resources to Abuja, deployed them to a state capital, and they filtered away,” he said. Prof. Pate has handed the case over to the police for investigation.
The conference, themed “Corruption-free health care delivery for all,” aimed to address the widespread corruption in Nigeria’s health sector. Prof. Pate emphasized the challenge of isolating corruption within the health sector alone. “In health, what we are trying to do is improve population health outcomes for all Nigerians, to save lives, reduce pain, and produce health for all Nigerians,” he explained.
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The Chairman of ICPC, Musa Aliyu (SAN), reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to tackling corruption in the health sector. “The conference is specifically organized to stimulate discussions that will help improve service delivery devoid of windows for corrupt tendencies in the health sector,” he said. Aliyu added that the commission chose Primary Health Care in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a pilot for a nationwide initiative to create a template that can be replicated across the country.
Delivering the keynote address, Adedolapo Fasawe, the FCTA Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, described corruption in the health sector as worse than a pandemic. “The opportunity cost of financial corruption in health is inestimable. What is the cost of a life? Therefore, in health, corruption must either be prevented or nipped in the bud in infancy,” she said. Fasawe highlighted the immediate consequences of corruption, including the procurement of substandard equipment, fake drugs, revenue leakages, and inflated health bills.
Prof. Pate emphasized the need for systemic changes to combat corruption. “The challenge we face is a system and a paradigm that tolerates, encourages, demands, and accommodates corruption,” he stated. He called for comprehensive efforts to improve the working conditions and integrity of health workers, which would ultimately benefit the population’s health outcomes.