COORDINATING MINISTER OF HEALTH PATE CALLS FOR STRONGER PANDEMIC FINANCING

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has called for stronger and more sustainable financing mechanisms to improve global preparedness and response to future pandemics.

Pate made the call during a G20 High-Level Independent Panel session in New York, held on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly. He stressed the need for financing that can be deployed quickly to countries when and where public health emergencies occur.  

The Minister highlighted the importance of strengthening existing global financing mechanisms, including the Global Fund, Gavi and the Pandemic Fund, while improving coordination among them. He noted that timely access to funding is critical for countries to obtain diagnostics, test kits, therapeutics and other medical countermeasures during outbreaks.  

Pate’s position comes amid growing calls for countries to move from reactive responses to more sustainable investments in pandemic preparedness. Earlier this year, he also urged sustained investment in health security, noting that outbreaks can escalate into global emergencies when preparedness systems are inadequate.  

The discussion also underscored the importance of strengthening local and regional manufacturing capacity and building resilient supply chains so countries are less dependent on emergency international supplies during health crises.  

For Nigeria, the Federal Government has similarly been emphasising domestic health financing and stronger outbreak-response systems, including funding mechanisms designed to help states improve disease surveillance, preparedness and rapid response capabilities.  

Pate’s call therefore highlights the need for predictable, coordinated and sustainable financing as a central component of global efforts to prevent, detect and respond effectively to future pandemics.