…children represent hope in its purest form – Dr Mohammed-Nafi’u

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – IN recognition of outstanding impact on the health of Nigerians, a nonprofit organization, The Capital Health Awards Academy, has honoured the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, with
‘Lifetime Achievement Award for Advancing Preventive Healthcare’.

Prof Pate who was represented by his Senior Special Adviser Chinedu Moghalu, expressed appreciation for the recognition and honour done him by The Capital Health Awards Academy at its Inaugural ceremony held in Abuja.

Meanwhile, the Inaugural Capital Health Awards ceremonial gathering conceived to illuminate, celebrate, and immortalize the individuals and institutions who stand at the vanguard of Nigeria’s
healthcare advancement.

This maiden edition is far more than an awards ceremony; it is a testament to resilience, a tribute to service, and a national
acknowledgement of those whose quiet labour sustains the health, dignity, and future of Nigerians.

He said: “This honour is received within the broader context of the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under which health is positioned as a national development priority, anchored on improved outcomes, stronger systems, and a renewed focus on prevention.

“Preventive healthcare is not supplementary. It is a strategic pathway to reducing avoidable disease burden, protecting human capital, and improving national productivity.

“The introduction of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine into Nigeria’s national immunisation programme represents a landmark preventive intervention.

“It reflects a clear policy choice to confront cervical cancer not at the point of late diagnosis and hardship, but upstream through prevention, equity, and structured delivery.

“This intervention is aligned with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and its Sector Wide Approach, translating evidence into national action through strengthened platforms for primary healthcare and immunisation.

“Since its introduction in October 2023, the HPV vaccination campaign has cumulatively reached over 12 million girls aged 9 to 14 nationwide, representing one of the largest preventive health efforts of its kind in the region.

“The progress recognised through this award is the result of a deliberate whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach adopted in the implementation of the national health sector renewal initiative, particularly the leadership and delivery role of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, whose stewardship of immunisation systems remains central to national prevention goals.”

In a keynote address delivered by a Consultant Pediatrician, VGC Hospital, Abuja, Dr Ramatu Mohammed-Nafi’u, said children represent hope in its purest form.

Dr Mohammed-Nafi’u described children as priceless and sacred based on the impact they make in the lives of their parents and society.

She also highlighted salient issues about children – innocence and authenticity; curiosity; natural learners; resilience; sense of justice and fairness; ability to imagine a better future.

She urged parents and society to give priority and support to them in order for them to realize their dreams including Investment in quality education; protection of children from violence and exploitation; ensure access to healthcare and nutrition; create safe communities and inclusive policies; treat children not as problems to be managed but as assets to be nurtured.

“I am happy about children, I am also aware of our responsibility. Children do not thrive by chance, they thrive by choice—our choice.

“The joy I feel about children comes with a call to action: to protect them, educate them. Listen to them. And create systems that allow them to reach their full potential.

“We cannot celebrate children while ignoring hunger, insecurity, lack of education, or unsafe environment; we cannot admire their resilience while continuing to test it.

“In conclusion, what makes me happy about children is simple, yet profound: they represent hope in its purest form; they remind us that the future is still open, moldable, worth fighting for. When we invest in children, we are not just shaping their lives; we are shaping the destiny of our nations and our world.

“Let us choose to be worthy of their trust, protect their dreams, and build a future that reflects the best of what we see in them”, she added.