… As Nigeria Kickstarts First Global Health Promotion Day
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
As Nigeria kicks off the first global Health Promotion Day, and the second annual commemoration in the country, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate has said that the National Health Promotion Day is a pathway to ensuring that citizens make right choices for healthy choices to achieve healthy lifestyles.
Prof. Ali Pate stated on Wednesday in Abuja at a press briefing to commemorate the 2025 National Health Promotion Day, ,(NHPD) in Nigeria.
Prof. Pate said that the NHPD, “is a call to action for every Nigerian—to make informed decisions about what we eat, how we live, and how we care for our environment, all in pursuit of a better quality of life.”
Prof. Pate who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Daju Kachollum said, “This day marks a pivotal moment in our national journey—one dedicated to elevating awareness of health promotion as the cornerstone of resilient communities, productive families, and sustainable national development.”
According to the minister, imbibing health promotion habits means that “every citizen must be equipped to make timely decisions that protect their health, prevent illness, and seek appropriate care when needed.”
The minister explained that the National Health Promotion, the first of its kind globally, is the bedrock to achieving preventive healthcare for citizens, adding that it empowers individuals with knowledge, encourages positive behavioral change, and improves health outcomes, especially for vulnerable groups: women, children, adolescents, the elderly, and men.
“ By promoting healthy choices, we reduce the burden of preventable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and emerging infectious threats,” the minister emphasized.
Prof. Pate disclosed that Nigeria was the first country globally to declare and mark a National Health Promotion Day on 29th October, 2024, adding that the FMOHSW has leveraged on this to develop a National Health Promotion Policy that empowers individuals and communities through community-based health education on disease prevention and health-seeking behavior campaigns on environmental hygiene, nutrition, physical activity, and mental health, among others.
He noted that the ministry is also partnering with critical stakeholders to ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of location, has access to the information and enabling environment needed to live a healthy life.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through the Department of Family Health, along with partners and stakeholders, is focused on ensuring every Nigerian, regardless of location, has access to the information and enabling environment needed to live a healthy life.”
Earlier, the Director of Public Health, FMOH. Dr. Binyerem Ukaire said that
health promotion is a sustainable and cost effective means of promoting good health outcomes for citizens by improving productivity, fostering safe environments, and addressing the social determinants of health proactively “Investment in health promotion would help in reducing disease burden and improving the quality of living, while sustaining nation building.”
According to Dr. Ukaire, the theme for this year’s commemoration, ” Health Promotion: The Catalyst for Sustainable Health and Well-being of Nigerians,” and the slogan “Promoting Healthy Choices for Healthy Lifestyles,” are apt, and they are a reminder that the future of health systems should not depend on curative medicines but more on prevention to make healthy choices and healthy living.
