The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate has reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to reposition the nation’s healthcare system and improve health outcomes for Nigerians.

The Minister made the remark on Thursday at the 41st convocation ceremony of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Ijanikin, Lagos.

The college graduated 413 new fellows and 92 doctors of medicine, six postgraduate diplomates in Anaesthesia and 73 diplomates in Family Medicine at the event.

Pate, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, said the president’s plans for the nation’s health sector cover critical areas which include human resources, brain drain, health tourism, infrastructure, universal health care and financing.

Stating that the president is a man of vision, who dares to follow through with whatever he believes in, Pate said Tinubu is determined to catapult the nation to a higher healthcare pedestal and committed to changing the narrative of inclusive growth, of a Nigeria that everyone can be proud of.

The Minister spoke about his four-point agenda to strengthen the nation’s health system by ensuring a healthy Nigeria and providing effective health and human services.

Congratulating the graduands, Pate described them as the nation’s investment capital for building a better future, charging them to spearhead improvements throughout Nigeria’s health system.

Delivering the convocation lecture with the theme, ‘Toward Better and Longer Lives for all Nigerians: Challenges and Solutions’, guest lecturer and Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, Lagos, Prof. Olumuyiwa Omotola Odusanya, said with 62.6 life expectancy at birth, Nigeria ranks lower than Ghana with 66.3, South Africa 65.3, Kenya 66.1 and Egypt 71.8 in Africa and behind Norway 82.6 and Japan 84.3.

Odusanya, who said the leading causes of death in the country in 2019 were neonatal conditions, diarrhoeal disease, lower respiratory tract infections, malaria and tuberculosis, stated that the college owe it to Nigerians to work individually and collectively as specialists and collaboratively with others to ensure life expectancy increases and quality of life improved.

He said to improve quality of life in the country involve promotion of sound mental health, provision of security, food and financial security.

The lecturer said other areas include provision of safe water, sewage disposal and safe working practices.

He added that there is an urgent need to make research findings easy to understand and actionable by governments.

President, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Prof. Akin Osibogun, noted that fellows of the college have continued to display exceptional skills and knowledge in various aspects of surgery, medicine and dentistry.

He promised that they will continue to contribute significantly to the advancement of the healthcare delivery system in the country.

Osibogun stated that the college has produced over 7,900 specialists since inception with about 10,000 resident doctors undergoing training in various approved centres across the country.

The college at the event, conferred distinguished fellowship awards on Dr. Adewale Akinsola, Dr. Benedictus Gboyega Kunle Ajayi and Dr. Akinola Ladipo Ladeinde.