Muhammad Ali Pate
Growing up in Nigeria, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate had a childhood friend paralyzed from the waist-down due to polio. The boy couldn't go to school because of his condition, and one day, sitting in the road because he couldn't stand, a car struck and killed him. Since learning of the life-and-death consequences of insufficient health care firsthand, Pate has traveled to more than 100 countries, examining how they deliver health services. 'I'm a nomad at heart,' Pate says, but he returned home in 2023 to become Nigeria's Minister for Health and Social Welfare.
The country has long endured high rates of infectious disease and maternal and child mortality, and Pate has encountered some Nigerians still resisting the polio vaccine. But he's worked to understand how local realities like malaria outbreaks can make vaccinations challenging, partly by overwhelming health systems. Pate's melding of global lessons with his sensitivity to on-the-ground context is leading to success. His initiatives have vaccinated over 12 million girls against human papillomavirus since October 2023. Meanwhile, by marshaling resources across Nigeria's 36 states and securing national and developmental partner funding, he's upgraded more than 900 primary health care centers this past year, which have served 12 million people. Another major priority is prevention. 'Our population cannot afford to get sick,' Pate says. His 'Know Your Numbers' campaign has measured blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol for 10 million Nigerians. A healthier population will fuel Nigeria's economy. 'It will shape growth, prosperity, and a new direction,' Pate explains—for every community and vulnerable child.
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