The Co-chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates, has urged the Federal Government to improve investment in equitable solutions and in the people who are working on them.
He said this during the Pan-African Youth Innovation Forum on Wednesday in Lagos, as part of activities for his visit to Nigeria.
The Forum had the theme: “Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation.”
Gates said that Nigeria was full of talented people with a lot of potential, but noted that it could be hard to fulfil that potential if they don’t have access to the most basic building blocks of life.
“It may not surprise you that Nigeria’s state and federal governments only spend the equivalent of $10 on health per person each year, compared to $31 in sub-Saharan Africa as a whole.
“Leaders need to make a much bigger financial commitment, focused most of all on improving primary health systems.
“Making sure clinics are well-staffed and supplied, making sure children get the vaccines they need – all of this is absolutely essential to improving health and opportunity and unlocking all of Nigeria’s potential,” he said.
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Gates said that he would speak with the government about increasing commitments to agriculture and digital financial systems.
The philanthropist said that there are many exciting innovations in the global pipeline that would improve lives here in Nigeria.
“They’re going to prevent infectious diseases, provide life-saving interventions for mothers and babies; make food more nutritious, and give women more convenient contraception options.
“Down the road, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be applied in ways that will bring quality health care and education to more people,” he said.
Gates expressed excitement at the potential AI had to save and improve lives, but said that won’t happen if profit was the only motive.
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