Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, has stated that the country’s healthcare challenges cannot be solved by prayer or wishful thinking, but require sustained scientific research and evidence-based reforms.
Speaking at the SPARK Translational Research Boot Camp Conference in Abuja, Pate emphasized that improvements in life expectancy, disease control, and quality of life globally have been driven by science—not faith alone.
“To unlock the healthcare value chain, wherever it has been done, it has had to be based on science. You can’t just pray your way through it. You can’t hope your way through it,” he said. “You have to have the discipline of scientific enquiry, grounded in evidence.”
Pate pointed out that Nigeria’s health landscape is shifting, with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and cancers representing a growing share of illness and mortality, compared to earlier decades dominated by infectious diseases.
He also expressed concern about the spread of anti-science sentiment, including vaccine skepticism, which he warned could reverse public health gains. He attributed part of the problem to shallow engagement with information on digital platforms.
“Everyone has a phone and WhatsApp, and you read the first two lines, form an opinion, and act on it. Every day. With no depth,” Pate said. “The anti-science movement is beginning to spread.”
Earlier at the event, Dr. Obi Adigwe, Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, urged stronger defense of science against misinformation and politicization.
“Science has always triumphed over adversity,” Adigwe said. “It has survived wars, inquisitions and persecutions.”
The conference highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare value chain through research, private-sector collaboration, and policy reform.
Posts
0 Comments