Health policies must reflect grassroots needs – Pate

Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has emphasised that the country’s health policies must be shaped by the everyday experiences and needs of its people.

He stated that meaningful reform can only happen when the voices of local communities are at the center of decision-making.

Pate made these remarks on Monday during the 10th anniversary celebration of the Stella Adadevoh Health Trust.

His remarks reinforces a growing consensus among health experts and policymakers that successful health reforms in Nigeria must prioritize inclusive, bottom-up approaches.

This means engaging youth, women, marginalized groups, and local leaders in health decisions to ensure policies are effective, culturally appropriate, and sustainable.

Represented by the Director of Port Health Services, Nse Akpan, he stressed that a shift from top-down strategies to community-based approaches is essential for addressing Nigeria’s diverse health challenges.

“Nigeria’s health sector reforms would only succeed if policies were designed to reflect the needs, values, and experiences of people at the grassroots,” he said.

“Policy design in Nigeria will not succeed unless it resonates in the communities, in the marketplace, in the farm, in the school, in churches, in mosques, and in clinics.

“That is where policy truly works. If we sit down here and say we have a lot of failed policies without engaging the grassroots, then the government has not done anything.”

The minister said the voices of youth, women, and marginalised groups must be included in national conversations on public health, adding that inclusion was not only about fairness but also about effectiveness.

“When we talk about inclusion, it is not just about being fair; it is about being effective. Our policies must work for the people where they live and learn,” he added.

Pate said the government would continue to partner with the private sector, civil society, and development partners to strengthen Nigeria’s health security architecture.

“Our health and prosperity as a nation depends on policies that integrate human, animal, and environmental health. That is why we are promoting the One Health approach, because health cannot thrive in isolation,” he said.

Pate noted that health security was the collective responsibility of all Nigerians, warning that complacency could undermine the country’s preparedness for future outbreaks.

“Health security is everyone’s business. It wasn’t the business of Adadevoh alone; it is the business of us all,” he said.

“We do not know when or where the next outbreak will occur, but if we remain united and proactive, we can prevent crises and protect our people.”

 

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