Prof. Pate of Bauchi: Renewed Hope’s Finest Ambassador.
By Tahir Ibrahim Tahir Talban Bauchi.
I dare to say that since the inception of the fourth republic in 1999, Bauchi state has not had a public official that has midwifed the translation of government policy from vision to mission, and from paper to tangible deliverables, the way Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate is transforming Bauchi’s healthcare sector.
Bauchi is replete with healthcare facilities and possesses an extensive footprint of public healthcare institutions across its primary, secondary and tertiary tiers.
It houses the National Obstetric Fistula Centre and one of only four in the entire country. It has just been moved to its newly built clinical complex in Ningi LGA, and has commenced the digitisation of its records and operations.
In terms of healthcare facilities, Bauchi boasts of the finest in Nigeria with two Teaching Hospitals: The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital ATBUTH; which is witnessing massive transformation with the development of a new site.
It has just been boosted by the commissioning of a new state of the art Cancer treatment, clinical trials and Diagnostics Centre worth billions of Naira. There’s also the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Azare.
Bauchi also has a new Federal Medical Centre in Misau, while two general hospitals, one in Toro LGA and the other in Gamawa LGA, are currently being revitalised and upgraded.
On the 4th of July, 2026; The Federal Govt launched a N10 billion healthcare intervention in Bauchi, targeting 20 primary healthcare centres across 15 local govt areas in the state.
The aim of the intervention is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality with the provision of essential drugs, medical equipments, maternal kits, ambulances and tricycle ambulances.
The equipments include suction machines, oxygen concentrators, blood pressure monitors, and newborn care equipments. 17,000 maternity kits were provided for pregnant women to ease their financial burden.
On the 18th of September, 2026; Prof. Pate launched another set of new ambulances to be deployed to Toro General Hospital, Gamawa General Hospital, ATBUTH, and the National Obstetric and Fistula Centre Ningi.
The minister also unveiled CNG stations in ATBUTH, describing it as a means of ensuring energy security in healthcare facilities.
He also announced a new site for the development of a new ATBUTH Complex, in a bid to expand the hospital to provide specialised tertiary healthcare services.
40 specialists from Bauchi have been absorbed into the Federal Civil Service through the National Health Fellows programme.
In terms of employment, Bauchi has never had it this good, with atleast 4,000 youths being employed in different healthcare institutions across the country.
Also, no less than 12,000 patients have enjoyed free emergency medical services in Bauchi with over 5,000 indigent pregnant women benefitting from free C-section operation.
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Another 150 free surgeries for children was offered by the ATBUTH in Bauchi just last week. In partnership with the Bauchi state government, over 100 primary healthcare centres are being revitalised in the state.
On the national level, we have seen the development of oncology centres in different geo-poliitical zones, including one at Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, another in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Nsukka, and also at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, with more underway.
We have also witnessed the development of different medical centres across the country including Osogbo,Osun state; Onitsha, Anambra state; Gada, Sokoto state; and Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state. Some Federal Medical Centres have been upgraded into Teaching Hospitals, like the one at Kumo, Gombe state.
The National Hospital in Abuja is being re-invented with a budget of over half a trillion naira for the development of new complexes, a new administrative block, a new cancer diagnostics and treatment centre, new modular clinics and theatres, and a Neuroscience centre.
Just last week, World leading net manufacturer Vestergaad Sarl, announced that Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, is now producing next-generation mosquito nets in Africa, and is now a leading hub in healthcare textile manufacturing.
It will be producing 10 million nets a year, employing close to a thousand personnel. It is the first in Nigeria to produce dual active ingredient insecticide treated mosquito nets. Health Textiles Nigeria is now being recognised by the WHO as a Vestergaard production site.
Another interesting development is the announcement by Prof. Pate alongside the CEO of Gavi, Dr. Sania Nishtar, of the injection of $500 million into Nigeria’s primary healthcare delivery.
This is to accelerate routine vaccine delivery to children, maintain polio eradication and create a long term sustainable domestic vaccine financing.
Indeed Prof. Pate is making Bauchi proud of its son. As the minister of health and social welfare, the inventory of healthcare facilities, drugs, equipment, transportation and specialists he has introduced into Bauchi’s healthcare delivery system is just phenomenal.
He has engineered huge federal presence to bear on the lives of indigent citizens that are unable to afford basic healthcare services.
From drugs to surgeries, medical centres to diagnostics and treatment centres, as well as revitalised primary healthcare centres to meet national standards for 24hr service delivery; Bauchi is having it all.
With Prof. Pate pioneering the provision of CNG stations in Bauchi, I am certain it will herald the use of cheaper sources of energy for transportation in the state, which will not be limited to healthcare only.
All these have been achieved in just a little over three years. He has certainly been a great ambassador of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s renewed hope agenda.
It will be quite remarkable for Bauchi to support Prof. Pate in delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, and it will be a wonder, what Prof. Pate will deliver to the citizenry of Bauchi state in the nearest future.
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