The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has voiced deep concerns over the pervasive corruption in Nigeria’s health sector, describing it as a profound and systemic issue.
Speaking at a one-day conference organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) with the theme “Corruption-free health care delivery for all,” Pate highlighted specific instances of corruption that underscore the severity of the problem.
During the event, held on Thursday in Abuja, Pate recounted a recent incident where therapeutic food donated for children suffering from acute malnutrition was diverted.
“I recently dealt with a case where donated, ready-to-use therapeutic foods, meant to feed acutely malnourished children free of charge, were diverted.
“Someone raised funds, sourced the resources, and brought them to Abuja, but they vanished upon reaching a state capital,” he lamented.
He said the case has been handed over to the police, thanking the Inspector General of Police for deploying a senior officer to assist with the investigation.
Pate also described corruption as a long-standing, ubiquitous issue in Nigeria, deeply embedded within the system.
“The challenge we face is a system and a paradigm that exists, that tolerates, encourages, demands, and accommodates corruption,” he stated.
Addressing the complexity of isolating corruption within the health sector, Pate noted that efforts are ongoing to curb this menace.
“In health, what we are trying to do is to improve population health outcomes for all Nigerians. To save lives, to reduce physical and financial pain, to produce health, and to do it for all Nigerians,” he said.
In his remarks, ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to combating 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.
“This has become necessary considering the sector’s critical nature and its role in ensuring a healthy society at all levels,” Aliyu stated.
He highlighted the commission’s strategy of using Primary Health Care in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a pilot for creating a comprehensive template to be replicated nationwide.
In her keynote address, the FCTA Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Adedolapo Fasawe, likened corruption in the health sector to 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,” Fasawe said.
She pointed out the dire consequences of corruption, including the procurement of substandard equipment, fake drugs, revenue leakages, and inflated health bills
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