Shettima: Tinubu’s Ambitious Health Sector Reforms Have Attracted Over $4.8bn in Potential Investments

Deji Elumoye

Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday announced that the health sector reforms by President Bola Tinubu’s administration had already attracted over $4.8 billion in potential investments.
According to him, the investments are part of the commitment of the Tinubu’s administration to revitalise Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Making this disclosure at the inauguration and grand opening of Sahad Hospitals in Abuja, the vice president noted that the health sector reforms under the Tinubu administration were anchored on a robust roadmap designed to tackle persistent issues that had plagued the system for decades.
He said: “This administration’s ambitious health sector reforms, which have already attracted over $4.8 billion in potential investments, signal a strong commitment to revitalising our healthcare system.

“These reforms are anchored on a comprehensive roadmap designed to address longstanding challenges, and central to this are four key pillars: Transforming healthcare governance, improving population health outcomes, unlocking the healthcare value chain, and strengthening health security.”
Shettima outlined a comprehensive strategy to address longstanding challenges and propel Nigeria’s healthcare system into the future.
He declared that: “Our health sector calls upon us all to unite. The promise of this day is one we cannot overlook.

“It is through such collaboration and shared dedication that we can guarantee every Nigerian receives the care and support they deserve.”
Detailing government’s strategy, Shettima highlighted initiatives launched by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, saying, “we have set out to achieve this by boosting domestic production of essential medical supplies and drugs, and by strengthening primary healthcare through the doubling of fully functional centres across the nation.”
The vice president acknowledged the remaining challenges, saying that “Nigerians continue to grapple with pressing healthcare challenges, such as surging costs of medicines, long hospital waiting times, and a shortage of health workers”.

He emphasised that the full impact of the reforms, particularly in improving access to quality healthcare, hinges on private sector involvement.
According to him: “Our private sector is a critical part of the solution, especially in the face of the long-standing brain drain among our medical workforce.
“Investing in the health sector engages the talents and skills of our citizens, generating numerous job opportunities for graduates and technicians. This is a notable aspect of our national development narrative”.

Shettima revealed that the National Economic Council (NEC), which he chairs, had prioritised investments in developing Nigeria’s human capital, with health and nutrition being key thematic areas.
“Each of our state governors is fully on board. We have all acknowledged that no nation can optimise its opportunities without investing in its healthcare, and for us, this is only the beginning,” he added.

Reiterating the administration’s commitment to the goal, the vice president said: “We welcome this intervention, not just because it aligns with the agenda of President Bola  Tinubu, who has demonstrated his commitment to unlocking Nigeria’s healthcare value chain, but also because of its far-reaching implications for our national development.
“We stand prepared to move forward together into the future, and I assure you that the government will continue to be your steadfast partner in this effort to serve the nation and humanity, with full support to achieve our shared goals,” Shettima added.

The vice president described the Chairman/Founder of Sahad Group of Companies, Alhaji Ibrahim Mijinyawa, as a good and trustworthy businessman, even as he recounted how he intervened when Sahad Stores Limited was locked up by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
He said: “When the FCCPC locked up his store; I had to call the head of the agency to say, ‘Please, reopen the store before you come and tell me what happened’. I did so because I know how helpful Sahad Stores is to many Nigerians.

“He (Alhaji Mijinyawa) is a very good man. He has used his business to touch many lives. If he was a selfish man, he would have kept his money to himself and his children and grandchildren alone, because he has enough to take care of himself till he leaves this world.
“But he has decided to continue helping humanity. I had so many engagements scheduled for this weekend but had to appeal to them that I can’t attend their events because I feel we should support such a person that is working for the course of humanity. We all need to support him,” he added.

Also speaking, the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the occasion, Senator Barau Jibrin, hailed the Chairman of the hospital, Alhaji Mijinyawa, for his philanthropy, and good quality services to the less-privileged people, assuring that Sahad Hospitals will not be an exception.
Jibrin, who was represented at the event by Senator Garba Maidoki, said he was looking forward to seeing the hospital serve both high and low-income Nigerians, even as he urged the hospital authorities to liaise with other NGOs that finance medical services for the less-privileged so that the people of the community who have been displaced can have access to the facility.

On his part, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, thanked the Chairman of the hospital, saying the hospital does not only mark a new chapter of healthcare in Nigeria but a celebration of a vision that exemplifies what could be achieved when public-spirited individuals invest in the health of their fellow citizens.

Noting that the inauguration of the 200-bed capacity Sahad Hospital is a testament to the unwavering commitment of a private citizen, he said Mijinyawa had taken a bold step to complement the efforts of the federal government in improving quality healthcare for citizens.
Earlier in his remarks, Vice Chairman of Sahad Hospital, Dr. Shamsuddeen Aliyu, described the hospital as a state-of-the-art facility built to showcase their unwavering commitment to quality healthcare and well-being of those it serves.

Explaining that Sahad Hospital has a 200-bed capacity with seven operating theatres, 13 dialysis machines, as well as 10-bed capacity ICU units, Shamsuddeen explained that, “our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that every aspect of the hospital – from the design to equipment – is centered around patients’ needs.”