Abuja: The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, emphasized the significant role traditional and religious leaders play in enhancing healthcare delivery and health outcomes throughout Nigerian communities. He made these remarks during a media conference in Abuja, in anticipation of the 2026 Nigerian Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Pate highlighted the indispensable role of these leaders, attributing their community presence, moral authority, and influence as key factors in driving healthcare reforms and increasing service uptake nationwide. He remarked, “Traditional and religious leaders are so vital in our country that we also have to engage them for the roles they have played in immunisation and maternal health.”
The minister detailed that ongoing reforms by the ministry focus on building community trust, shared responsibility, and fostering stronger participation from various societal groups, including traditional rulers and faith leaders. He explained that health-related decisions often begin at the household level, with trusted community figures aiding families in comprehending the importance of antenatal care, immunisation, and timely facility delivery.
Pate pointed out that these leaders frequently provide early information on disease outbreaks, as they might be the first to notice such occurrences. He underscored that involving leaders would enhance communication channels, improve accountability, and assist in refining government health strategies based on actual community needs.
Highlighting past successes, Pate mentioned that traditional institutions were pivotal to Nigeria’s 2025 integrated vaccination campaign, which successfully reached over 60 million children. Their sustained involvement is expected to bolster efforts in controlling Tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria, as well as support the national health security agenda.
The upcoming summit will also see the launch of the second cohort of the National Health Fellows Programme, aimed at deepening community-level engagement. The fellows will collaborate closely with traditional leaders to disseminate health messages and support community-driven health improvements nationwide.
The summit will also feature discussions on the Nigeria-U.S. health partnership and a five-year MOU supporting HIV, TB, and malaria programmes. Pate stressed the importance of strengthening domestic health financing, as U.S. support is set to diminish following the current funding cycle. “The health of Nigerians is the responsibility of Nigerians. We cannot depend on external actors forever for diseases that affect our people,” Pate stated.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the summit to foster collaboration, enhance understanding of national health strategies, and strengthen joint accountability across all government tiers. “Traditional and religious leaders are among the most influential voices in communities, and their role is essential to sustaining whatever we do,” Pate added.
Ms. Fatima Zanna, Co-chair of the Health Development Partners Group, expressed strong support for the government’s engagement with traditional and religious institutions. She noted that this approach provides valuable insights into community happenings and improves evidence-based decision-making for health programmes. Zanna described the forthcoming summit as “a very welcome endeavour,” with partners eager to participate and support Nigeria’s efforts in advancing community health ownership.