FG approves N32.8bn to boost primary healthcare
The Federal Government, on Wednesday, approved the disbursement of N32.8bn from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to support primary healthcare programmes in the first quarter of the 2025 fiscal year.
The funds will be distributed through the National Health Insurance Authority, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System.
The FG also said it will approve a new set of governance guidelines for the BHCPF at the 10th BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting.
While reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s healthcare system, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, revealed that N32.8 billion has been allocated to strengthen over 8,000 primary healthcare centres nationwide.
He highlighted that the funds will support the expansion of primary healthcare services, the Vulnerable Groups Fund, emergency medical treatment and ambulance services, and the NCDC’s disease outbreak prevention and response efforts.
He said, “We have to ensure health security by preventing outbreaks, detecting them, and being able to respond to them. That is the approval. The second approval was that of the revised guideline for the BHCPF, which is provided for by law.
“While we’re waiting for a legal opinion from the Attorney General of the Federation, the MOC agreed with the thrust of the changes that were made in the guidelines, and those are very good steps forward, which has brought in the lens of equity, has also increased the resources going to primary health care centres.
“The reality is that the BHCPF facilities all over Nigeria now are clearly functioning at much higher levels and better levels compared to non-BHCPF facilities. So, the reforms that we have undertaken over the last 18 months are working, and we appreciate the President for his leadership in ensuring that we get the resources to be able to do that.”
The minister also said efforts are being made to address barriers preventing the full utilisation of resources.
He stressed that ensuring smooth access to funds is crucial for achieving optimal health outcomes for Nigerians.
Regarding the NCDC gateway having issues accessing the funds, he explained that the sub-national level with the states having issues opening their accounts and getting the signatories to their accounts.
“But as you have heard, the issue is with the Office of the Accounting General of the Federation, and we are confident that the new Accounting General of the Federation will remove those bottlenecks so that they have access to their accounts.
“As you know, these funds are Federal government resources, but they are channelled through State Treasury Single Account, and those have to be opened, and they are opened by the Accountant General, and we are now working to see that it’s expedited,” he stated.
