World Bank Appoints Muhammad Ali Pate as Global Director for Health, Nutrition & Population

The World Bank has appointed a minister of state for health under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammad Ali Pate, as Global Director for Health, Nutrition, and Population.

He will also serve as the Director of Global Financing Facility (GFF) of the World Bank Group, which will ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is able to raise “trillions of dollars” for the achievements of its goals before 2030.

Pate had resigned in July 2013 as Nigeria’s minister of state for health to take up a position as Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, USA.

He previously worked as the human development sector coordinator, East Asia, and Pacific Region and senior health specialist, Africa region, for the World Bank Group.

As executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) from 2008 to 2011, Pate’s goal was to end polio in Nigeria and save millions of children from the deadly disease.

In 2012, Pate was awarded the prestigious Harvard Health Leader award for his immense contribution to health in developing countries.

Congratulating the health expert on Wednesday, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said he looks forward to working closely with Pate.

“Congratulations, @muhammadpate, for your confirmation as the @WorldBank ’s Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population @WBG_Health and Director for @theGFF. We look forward to working closely with you to achieve,” Ghebreyesus tweeted.

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