Muhammad Ali Pate

Today, on the margins of #JAR26 in Abuja, we launched the MAMII Private Sector Compact, securing over US$65 million in financial and in-kind commitments to accelerate Nigeria’s efforts to prevent maternal and newborn deaths. The Compact brings private-sector financing, life-saving medicines, medical technologies, supply-chain capabilities and technical expertise into a coordinated national effort to improve maternal and newborn survival.

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, @officialABAT, this partnership advances the people-centred approach of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), aligning public, private and philanthropic resources with national health priorities.

The Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) prioritises 172 high-burden Local Government Areas, which account for more than half of Nigeria’s maternal deaths. Through the Sector-Wide Approach, coordinated by @SWApGov, we are directing these commitments towards government-identified gaps in emergency obstetric and newborn care, essential medicines, skilled personnel, emergency transport and referral services. Implementation will be coordinated and monitored to ensure that resources reach the facilities and communities where they are most needed.

Alongside the Compact, I launched national policy instruments and clinical guidelines covering emergency obstetric and newborn care, obstetric fistula, sexual and reproductive health, postpartum family planning and self-care, permanent family planning methods, and task shifting and task sharing. Through TEAM OB/NEO, we are integrating clinical innovations, competency-based training and frontline service delivery to improve the management of obstetric and newborn emergencies.

I appreciate the leadership and support of the Gates Foundation (@gatesfoundation), World Economic Forum (@wef), MTN Foundation (@MTNFoundationNG) and MSD for Mothers (@MSDforMothers), alongside our partners: European Union (@EUinNigeria), IQVIA (@IQVIA_global), Bayer Consumer Health, DP World (@DP_World), dsm-firmenich (@dsmfirmenich), Ferring Pharmaceuticals (@ferring), Nestlé (@Nestle), Roche (@Roche), MTN Nigeria (@MTNNG), PSHAN (@pshan_alliance), Bank of Industry (@BOINigeria), Envision Pharma Group (@EnvisionPharma), UNICEF Nigeria (@UNICEF_Nigeria), CHAI (@CHAI_health), TAConnect (@TAConnect_NG), UNFPA Nigeria (@UNFPANigeria), CMS (@coronams), SCIDaR (@SCIDaR_), NEST360 (@NEST360org), ACEPHAP (@acephap_buk), PharmAccess (@PharmAccessNIG), Development Delivery Partners, BudgIT (@BudgITng), Nigeria Health Watch (@nighealthwatch), KPMG Nigeria (@KPMG_NG) and ACE Strategy and Consults (@AceStrategyLtd).

I call on state governments, implementing institutions and our private-sector partners to move decisively from commitments to delivery: deploy the resources, strengthen frontline capabilities, close identified service gaps and demonstrate measurable improvements in maternal and newborn survival.

Our collective responsibility is to ensure that a woman facing an obstetric emergency receives timely, competent care; that a newborn in distress has access to life-saving treatment; and that more Nigerian families experience childbirth as a moment of joy rather than loss. This is the outcome against which our investments, partnerships and reforms must be measured.

#MAMII #RenewedHope

Today, at #JAR2026 in Abuja, we presented an account of 3 years’ reforms under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative #NHSRII, established by HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, @officialABAT. The Renewed Hope health mission is to save lives, reduce the physical and financial burden of illness and produce health for all Nigerians.

The 2023 Health Sector Compact and Sector-Wide Approach, coordinated by @SWApGov, align government and partner efforts. By Oct 2026, we disbursed ₦249.5bn to @TheBHCPF gateways under this administration, with @ICPC_PE supporting accountability. In BHCPF’s preceding 10 years, less than ₦80bn was disbursed.

With states and @NphcdaNG, we have revitalised 3,526 PHCs, with 900 underway, trained 78,054 frontline workers and recruited 19,758 skilled birth attendants in 22 states and 4,747 community health workers in 10 states. Pre-service admission quotas doubled, while we selected 1,548 National Health Fellows in 2 cohorts, one per LGA in each. Measles and rubella vaccination reached 100m children, and HPV vaccination over 19m adolescent girls.

Through @nhia_nigeria-empanelled #MAMII, 750k pregnant women were linked to facilities, and emergency transport carried 104,566 women and newborns. Over 2 years, free maternal, newborn and fistula programmes reached almost 100k beneficiaries, with 80,906 for emergency obstetric care and 6,059 for fistula care. Obstetric emergency deaths fell 22% in participating facilities; maternal case fatality in BHCPF facilities fell an exceptional 60% from 2024 to 2026.

Insurance coverage rose from about 16m to nearly 24m Nigerians over 3 years. Dialysis costs fell by up to 80% for 5,106 patients, selected cancer drugs are subsidised, and free 48-hour emergency care covers 507 facilities.

With @nsia_nigeria, 3 of 6 planned cancer centres (Enugu, Benin and Katsina) and 10 diagnostic and specialist centres are operational. Over 500 infrastructure and equipment projects were completed in 60 federal tertiary hospitals in 3 years.

On health security, Nigeria’s recent containment of imported Ebola demonstrates its core public health strength.

The President’s 2024 Executive Order supported ₦24bn in pharmaceutical tax waivers in 2025–2026. Through @PVAC_NG, 10 factories or manufacturing lines were commissioned, 6 in 2026. 12 technology-transfer agreements and a prospective investment pipeline over $5bn support domestic production. @NafdacAgency tackles falsified medicines, while Medipool will pool demand.

On impact, 12 of 13 assessed indicators improved; stunting remains a concern. People’s Voice Surveys show the share of Nigerians seeing health-system improvement rose from 47% in 2024 to 57% in 2026, while patient-perceived quality is 71%. Affordability, staffing, remuneration, working conditions and patient safety remain priorities, alongside hospital modernisation and digital health. These will be our focus.

Financing priorities include timely releases, effective spending, raising BHCPF allocation to 2% of CRF, and sugar-sweetened beverage excise reforms earmarking funds for health.

The 2026–2030 Nigeria–US health partnership envisages nearly US$2bn in grants and US$3bn in added Nigerian financing to end external health aid dependence by 2030.

I appreciate my colleague @SalakoIziaq and Permanent Secretary Daju Kachollom, our Governors, @NGFSecretariat, state and local governments, @Fmohnigeria and agencies including @NACANigeria @NGRSenate @HarryBanigo @nassnigeriaa, health workers, professional bodies, civil society, traditional and religious leaders, and media, alongside @WBG_Nigeria @WHONigeria @UNICEF_Nigeria @gavi @GlobalFund @UKinNigeria @USinNigeria @gatesfoundation @hfn_nigeria. Our health workers are the ultimate heroes of this unfolding transformation.

We will keep translating these reforms into timely, dependable, affordable quality care, disease prevention and financial protection for Nigerians.

Together to Higher Grounds.

#RenewedHope

Warm congratulations, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐃𝐲𝐛𝐮𝐥, on your appointment as the next Executive Director of @GlobalFund. Your appointment reflects affirmation of the Board’s confidence in your leadership and commitment to global health.

I am confident that you will build on the excellent work of @PeterASands and the Secretariat, taking the Fund’s mission forward with renewed determination. Protecting the gains against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, strengthening national health systems and sustaining international solidarity will require precisely the experience and commitment you bring.

For Nigeria, this is a further opportunity to deepen a partnership of lasting importance. As we advance the 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 @SWApGov under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT, we look forward to working with you to strengthen our national institutions, sustainable financing and ensure that support translates into better care for our people in line with the @AccraReset.

Mark, you can count on our support and Nigeria’s constructive partnership. I look forward to working closely and wish you every success in this renewed responsibility.

theglobalfund.org/en/news/2026/2…

The Swiss authorities have confirmed that the patient and her spouse arrived safely in Switzerland today. She is receiving care at Geneva University Hospitals @hug_ge, while her spouse is in isolation at University Hospital Zurich @Unispital_USZ.

In our telephone conversation, Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider conveyed Switzerland’s appreciation for the care provided by Nigerian health professionals and the close cooperation between our authorities and @WHO that made the evacuation possible.

I thank the clinical and public-health teams in Nigeria and Switzerland, @NCDCgov, @BAG_OFSP_UFSP, @EDI_DFI and @WHONigeria for their cooperation, and wish the patient continued recovery.

Here in Nigeria, contact monitoring, investigation of alerts and other containment measures continue, with support from @AfricaCDC and @WHOAFRO. We will provide regular updates through @NCDCgov and @Fmohnigeria.

@OfficialFCTA @DrPavelUrsu @ProfJanabi @CDCgov @Dr_JeanKaseya @christian_happi @alikothe3rd @SalakoIziaq

Following the imported Ebola index patient’s medical evacuation from Nigeria today, 26 October, our immediate priorities remain active monitoring of all identified contacts, prompt investigation of alerts and strengthened readiness across our health facilities.

If no further confirmed or probable cases are detected, Nigeria could progress towards declaring this outbreak over under @WHO criteria, potentially as early as 7 December 2026. This date remains provisional, subject to @NCDCgov and WHO validating the 42-day countdown. Any further case would require a fresh countdown in accordance with those criteria.

Our teams, working with FCTA and state health authorities and our partners, remain focused on containment and preventing community transmission. I ask Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow regular updates from @NCDCgov and @Fmohnigeria.

@OfficialFCTA @WHONigeria @WHOAFRO @WHO @AfricaCDC @DrPavelUrsu @ProfJanabi @CDCgov @Dr_JeanKaseya @christian_happi @alikothe3rd @SalakoIziaq