• Doctors, pharmacists differ on replacement

 

MORE reasons are emerging on why the Minister of State for Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, resigned his office on Wednesday July 24, 2013, to take up appointment as a Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, United States, and as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC.

 

  Pate, born September 6, 1968, was appointed Minister of State for Health in July 2011 following his success as the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

 

  However, Pate said the decision to resign followed careful consultations and was taken with the sense of utmost responsibility, patriotism and humility. “As you are already aware, I have also offered to continue supporting the work we have started in an honorary advisory role to Mr. President,” he said.

 

  Pate added: “I have accepted the position of a visiting professor at the Duke University’s Global Health Institute, U.S.A., in which capacity I will be involved in an Africa-wide initiative and will also likely serve as Senior Adviser to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC. These new roles will complement my offer to Mr. President to continue with part-time service in support of Nigeria’s polio eradication and the Saving One Million Lives’ Initiative.”

 

  But The Guardian investigations, however, revealed that Pate has been appointed an adjunct Professor of Duke University, United States, since 2009 while he was still the Executive Director of NPHCDA, which it reported.

 

  So why would Pate resign four years later? Sources from the Presidency told The Guardian that Pate resigned due to irreconcilable differences with the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and frustrations and bureaucracy in the country’s civil service.

 

  It was learnt that the two ministers were hardly seen together in the last one year and disagreed on so many issues concerning the delegation of duties and power in the ministry. 

 

  The cold war was quite visible during the last World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, where both Pate and Chukwu hardly sat together.

 

  Pate, however, in a telephone chat with The Guardian Monday, denied these insinuations and insisted that he resigned to take up the appointment with Duke University.

 

  But another interesting twist to Pate’s resignation is that despite acknowledging even his driver and security aides in a statement confirming his exit, he did not give Chukwu a mention.

 

  “Finally, and most importantly, I wish to state that none of what I contributed in office would have been possible without my immediate core staff - Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Dr. Labaran, Grace Natson, Dr. Tokunbo Oshin, Dr. Muntaqa, Dr. Saidu, Aminu Naiya, Hallah Tashkalmah, Dalhatu my protocol officer, Hallilu, my driver, Mohammed Haruna and the security detail I worked with day and night over the last two years,” he said. 

 

  However, mixed feelings have greeted the development. Doctors and pharmacists are already recommending who will replace Pate. 

 

  The pharmacists, under the umbrella of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), told The Guardian: “Pate was frustrated out of the system by those in authority.”

 

   President of PSN, Mr. Olumide Akintayo, asked President Goodluck Jonathan “to be bold enough to tackle the forces that frustrated Pate out of the system by reacting appropriately.”

 

  Akintayo said Pate would be missed because he is a seasoned professional with international exposure and was leading Nigeria to the Promised Land until his resignation.

 

  “He is a perfect gentleman and did not want to fight dirty. That is why he quit,” Akintayo said.

 

  He said Pate should be commended because it is rare to see a Nigerian resign from his or her exalted position.

 

  On Pate’s replacement, Akintayo urged Jonathan to use his office and the opportunity to address the injustice in the health sector by appointing a seasoned administrator from any other professional body in the health sector other than a doctor.   

 

  However, doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), disagreed with the PSN.

 

  National President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, in a press statement, wished Dr. Pate success in his new appointment and called on “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) to appoint a fit, proper, competent and capable replacement of the ilk of Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate, who is definitely not below his level of training and expertise, experience, administrative competence and far-reaching practical understanding of the structure and workings of the Nigerian health sector, as the new Minister of State for Health to compliment the on-going efforts at actualising the transformation agenda of Mr. President in the health sector.”

 

  Enabulele said it “received with mixed feelings the news of the voluntary resignation of the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammed Ali Pate, following his appointment …” 

 

  The statement reads: “While the NMA rejoices with him over this appointment, the Association is, however, pained that this came at a time when Nigeria’s health sector is already beginning to show signs of progress from his purposeful leadership and that of the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, despite the numerous challenges and constraints.”

 

BY CHUKWUMA MUANYA (LAGOS) AND EMEKA ANUFORO (ABUJA)

Guardian