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BY ABU-SATAR HAMED
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The Honourable Minister of State for Health, Hon. (Dr.) Kunle Salako, has announced that Nigeria has achieved a milestone 71% coverage in HPV vaccination, immunizing over 12 million girls aged 9–14 years within two years – a critical step in cervical cancer prevention.
Dr. Salako made this disclosure during his keynote address at the 78th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organisation (WHO), held in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17, 2025.
Leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 37th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat, Dr. Salako emphasized the theme: “Investing in Health: Sustainable Financing for an Equitable Commonwealth.”
In his presentation, the Minister noted that sustainable financing hinges on smarter and more efficient health spending, outlining Nigeria’s current strategy which includes bottom-up budgeting, prioritization of preventive primary health care (PHC), sector-wide approaches, pooled procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, increased use of digital technology, development of local phytomedicine resources and integrated programme implementation.
Dr. Salako also spotlighted the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative – a flagship policy under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda – which addresses social health insurance expansion, local drug manufacturing, tertiary healthcare upgrades, and digital health adoption.
Dr. Salako also chaired a ministerial breakout session focused on “Sustainable Financing for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Illness.”
The session concluded with key resolutions including strengthening preventive healthcare systems, promoting domestic resource mobilization, enhancing inter-Commonwealth cooperation, advocating for debt forgiveness for NCD response, scaling local pharmaceutical manufacturing and Expanding pooled procurement strategies
At a side event hosted by the Africa Centre for Disease Control (@AfricaCDC) themed: “Africa’s Health Financing: A New Era,” Dr. Salako addressed the impact of shrinking donour aid to Africa.
Dr. Salako emphasized that this decline presents both a challenge and an opportunity, urging African countries to not only spend more on health but to also spend better and more strategically for impactful and lasting change.
