The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has said patients from the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US) and other Western countries are now coming to Nigeria to experience quality healthcare.

Pate made this known on Tuesday while briefing State House correspondents after a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

“People are now beginning to come from the subregion, and even from faraway places like the UK and the US, to receive quality healthcare in Nigeria,” he said.

“Despite the challenges we face, significant progress is being made, and the transformation promised by President Tinubu is already taking shape.”

On the effort of the Federal Government in the health sector, Pate said an approval of N12 billion was made for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), an advanced diagnostic equipment across six tertiary health institutions.

He listed the beneficiaries as the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta; Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Osun state; Federal Medical Centre in Keffi; Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital in Adamawa; and Federal Teaching Hospital, Kebbi.

“This investment in critical diagnostic infrastructure is part of a broader effort to expand Nigeria’s health system capacity, ensuring that our tertiary institutions can offer world-class medical services,” he added.

The minister further stated that Nigeria has ratified the African Medicines Agency (AMA) Treaty which seeks to improve access to safe, quality, and effective medical products through a pan-African regulatory framework.

“So far, 37 African Union member states have signed the treaty, with 26 having ratified it. Today, the federal executive council directed that Nigeria take all necessary actions to give full effect to this treaty,” he stated.