The President Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Comrade Alhassan Yahya, went with a team that included the National Secretary, Mr Achike Chude, the National Chairperson of NAWOJ, Aisha Ibrahim, the Assistant National Secretaries, Tita Onyebuchi Nze, and Korede Opeyemi, as well as three other journalists. The courtesy visit was undertaken by the NUJ to seek closer collaboration between the Union and the ministry as well as to understand the workings and motivations of the ministry of Health in the discharge of their medical responsibilities to the citizens.
While acknowledging the role of the media in holding public officials accountable, in the course of the discussion, the issue of primary health care featured prominently as the minister laid out his vision of bringing primary healthcare to the doorstep of every Nigerian, especially the poor and vulnerable. He took time to draw a road map of the health sector and his expectations of the media in creating much needed awareness of the ministry’s activities.
While acknowledging the ministry’s many achievements to date, the national President of the NUJ promised positive collaboration and cooperation between both institutions. Both sides agreed on the need for training of journalists on health related matters so that they could be better informed on the happenings within the ministry.
In his address, the NUJ national President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya thanked the Honourable Minister for hosting him and his team at a very short notice, saying the gesture is not taken for granted.
The NUJ President commended Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate for his remarkable effort, inputs and innovations in restructuring the health sector since assumption of office as Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Health.
Comrade Alhassan Yahya appreciated Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate in revitalising Primary Health Care Programme at all levels especially in the rural communities and his timely approvals of logistics for the Basic Health Care Provisions, an effort, which he noted has gone a long way at reducing to a reasonable extent maternal mortality in the country.
The NUJ President made a case for a Special Health Trust Fund, as an alternative funding for health sector, promising that journalists across the country shall continue to support the laudable efforts of the Honourable Minister in his modest reforms of changing the narratives; noting that the short stay in office of Dr. Ali Pate has Minister of health has witnessed significant increase in the health insurance shche enrolment.
Concluding, Comrade Alhassan Yahya appealed for partnership and collaboration with the Ministry of health in organising Training and Workshops for journalists, to further boost their capacities and media visibility of activities of the health ministry in Nigeria.
Responding, the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate thanked the NUJ National President and his entourage for the auspicious visit, stating that he believes in the ability of journalists to perform what he termed 4A functions, including, Awareness, Advocate, Accountability, Action.
The Dr. Pate said, the ministry earlier recently launched an unprecedented first-of-its-kind Campaign in Africa, embarking on the vaccination of 100million children against preventable diseases, which is one of the gains of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration.
He promised to do all he can to collaborate with the NUJ and Nigerian journalists for the enhancement and sustainable development of health sector in the country. Dr. Ali Pate immediately there and then, directed his team to mandate their centres across the federation to engage the 37Councils of the NUJ in Nigeria to uphold the understanding reached at the meet.