Minister of State For Health Resigns

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Muhammed Pate, has voluntarily resigned his appointed on President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet.



The Minister, in his letter of resignation, said he was leaving the cabinet to take up the position of  Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, USA, in which capacity he will participate in a university-wide Africa initiative.

He will also serve as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC.

The letter dated July 22 and addressed to the President was read at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

Pate however offered the continuation of his service to Nigeria on part-time basis as the chairman of the Presidential task force on polio eradication and the public-private coalition for saving one million lives initiative.

Special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Reuben Abati, told state house correspondents that in accepting the Minister’s resignation, Dr Jonathan was highly elated that his “star-studded cabinet” was attracting global attention.

Dr Abati said the President saw the appointment as a plus for the administration and the country as he commended Dr Pate for the  integrity and competence he brought on board while carrying out his duties first as the chief executive of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and later as a Minister.

The President’s spokesman recalled that another cabinet member, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was one of those shortlisted for the position of the World Bank’s President last year.

“The President congratulated the Minister and accepted his offer to continue to serve on a part-time basis as honourary adviser.

Dr Pate who was appointed Minister in July 2011, is an American Board-Certified medical doctor in both Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with an MBA (Health Sector Concentration) from Duke University, USA.

He is also a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Vaccination and Humanitarian Emergencies at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva.

Source: Channels TV