Historically, Nigeria has faced significant health challenges, with preventable infectious diseases and rising non-communicable diseases contributing to high child and maternal mortality rates. One of the most intractable of these challenges was the continued prevalence of polio long after most countries in the world had eradicated the virus.

In 2011, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate was appointed Minister of State for Health, following a successful tenure as CEO of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA). As Health Minister, Dr. Pate set out to reform the Nigerian healthcare system, focusing on primary healthcare and tackling vaccine-preventable diseases.

Upon taking office, Minister Pate encountered a fragmented and underfunded healthcare system, made more complex by Nigeria’s decentralized government structure. Determined to make a lasting impact, he launched the Saving One Million Lives (SOML) initiative, aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality by improving access to essential health services such as immunization, malaria prevention, and nutrition programs. The SOML was designed to save a million lives by strengthening primary healthcare system and promoting universal childhood immunization. Resistance to vaccination programs in some parts of the country was the primary reason for polio’s persistence.

Minister Pate explained,

“Polio and immunization were embedded within the context of primary healthcare revitalization. We reframed the polio fight to include vaccines and saving the lives of children and mothers, rather than isolating it as a separate issue.”

Minister Pate also fostered collaboration between public and private sectors, positioning SOML as a collective national movement. This approach created a shared responsibility, with key stakeholders pledging their contributions to the cause. For instance, the private sector initially committed to saving 30,000 lives, a number that grew over time.

In 2012, Minister Pate was invited to participate in the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Forum.  He attributes his time at Harvard to helping shape the strategy and delivery of his bold vision. At Harvard, he came up with the idea of a bold legacy statement.

The idea of Saving One Million Lives was attention-grabbing, but also intended to make it hard for anyone to be against. He said:

“I was internally strengthening my hand while externally learning and strengthening relationships to succeed.”

By the time Minister Pate stepped down in 2013, the SOML program had become a sustainable initiative, continuing under multiple health ministers. SOML attracted over $1 billion in investments, and analysis of the program’s implementation provides evidence of its significant contribution to nationwide progress in improving key indicators. In 2020, the World Health Organization declared Nigeria polio-free. The groundbreaking initiative’s focus on primary healthcare and accountability remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s health sector, marking a key legacy of Minister Muhammad Pate’s leadership.

In 2023, Minister Pate was again appointed Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Upon returning to the Harvard Ministerial Forum, this time as a mentor to support the 2024 cohort of Ministers, he was awarded the 2024 Harvard Ministerial Medal of Achievement in recognition of the many contributions he has made to his country while in office.

Minister Pate also serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program.

You can access a full account of Minister Pate’s experience with Saving a Million Lives here.