Executive Order Boosts Local Drug Production – Professor Ali Pate

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, has credited an Executive Order signed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2024 with significantly improving local drug production. According to the Minister, numerous local manufacturers have leveraged the initiative to upgrade their facilities.

Professor Pate made this disclosure while defending the Ministry’s 2025 budget allocation before the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Health. Despite prevailing challenges, he highlighted that the nation’s health sector had witnessed remarkable advancements.

The Minister stated that the government had established world-class hospital facilities, enhanced infrastructure, and ensured the availability of adequately qualified personnel.

However, Professor Pate expressed concern over the limited release of funds for capital projects in the health sector. He revealed that only 15.06 per cent of the sector’s 2024 capital allocation had been disbursed to the Ministry.

He attributed the delay to the bottom-up cash plan policy implemented by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation. Of the N233.656 billion allocated for capital projects in 2024, only N26.552 billion had been released and utilised by the Ministry. Additionally, he noted that the Ministry had not received any portion of the N57.393 billion earmarked under multilateral and bilateral loans for capital projects.

In response, the Chairmen of the Joint Committee assured that the National Assembly would continue to support the health sector through relevant legislation and oversight activities to strengthen healthcare delivery across the country.

By Ifeoma Nwovu