Dr Salma-Ibrahim Anas, the Special Assistant (SA) to the President on Health Matters, has promised to use her new office to bring about policies and programmes capable of improving the health sector.
Anas, who until her recent appointment was the Director, Head of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health, made the pledge when staff of the Department of Family Health paid her a courtesy visit.
The visit was to congratulate her on the appointment and to bid her farewell from the ministry.
While receiving the delegation, Anas stated that the appointment was for the benefit of all at the ministry and the nation at large.
She said that she would use her position at The Presidency to bring developmental policies and programmes, as well as influence whoever was coming as the minister to follow the transformation agenda.
“This position is not for me alone, someone had earlier told me they had never given this position at the national level to somebody from the ministry; it is either they picked from the universities, private sector or get someone from abroad.
“This celebration is our celebration, they have seen that we are working to drive the health sector on and so the victory is for all of us, there is no room for failure, this is the first time they are selecting one of us.
“The agenda to revive the health sector was derived from us. We will work to put the agenda in place for whoever is coming as the minister and if we failed, they will never again come to the ministry to pick a person,” she said.
Anas earlier appreciated the role played in her life by Dr Jide Idris, a former Lagos State Commissioner of Health,pointing that she started her leadership role in the health sector through his motivation.
She said she had been with Idris for many years, pointing out that he was the brain behind the transformation agenda put before the President aimed at reviving the health sector even before the 2023 general elections.
The special assistant described Idris as the best man to work with when it comes to operationalising agenda in the health sector, saying that he was the man behind her success.
She described the special assistant as a trail blazer, saying that she had got a pass mark in the health sector and wished her more successful breakthroughs in her career.
Mrs Bako Aiyegbusi, Director, Head of Health Promotion Division, stated that staff of the department were in Anas office to celebrate her, particularly on how she touched their lives.
She said that the SA has helped to mentor young officers in the ministry and had laid down the footprint for everyone to follow.
Aiyegbusi called on the SA to always remember the Family Health Department in her new office, noting that that was her primary constituency.
“We want you to continue to be an advocate of healthy lifestyle,” she pleaded with the SA.
Dr Lawrence Anyawu, Director, Acting Head, Reproductive Health Division, also described Anas as a woman who welcomed all people to her office, adding that she has milk of human kindness.
He commended her leadership qualities and for always accommodating requests from personnel of the Family Planning Division of the ministry.
Dr John Ovuoraye, Director, Gender Adolescent, School Health and Elderly, also that thanked Anas over the benefit his department had derived from her.
He said that it was a golden opportunity to have somebody from the ministry going to The Presidency to serve and wished her well in her new position.
Dr Nwosu Stella, Director, Head of Child Health Division, expressed hope that with the presence of Dr Anas at The Presidency, the health sector would be great.
She pleaded with her to use her good offices to promote the needs of the health sector.
