The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, recently announced that N45bn has been disbursed to Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Nigeria. The funds, distributed through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.

During the three-day Nigeria Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review in Abuja, Pate revealed that this latest disbursement will directly benefit over 8,000 healthcare centres nationwide, ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources. He emphasized that the reform, known as BHCPF 2.0, prioritizes fairness by distributing both financial and human resources to underserved regions.

“The N45bn disbursed to the states will support our primary healthcare facilities, with over 2,600 facilities nearing completion of upgrades and an additional 2,000 planned for revitalization,” Pate said. The government has also raised over N3bn in complementary funding over the past three years, further bolstering efforts to improve the sector.

ALSO READ: LASUTH Launches Advanced Neonatal Centre to Elevate Healthcare Standards

Part of the health sector’s reform includes retraining 120,000 frontline health workers, with over 40,000 already having completed the process. This is in line with the government’s commitment to improving the quality of healthcare services available to Nigerians.

Pate also highlighted positive outcomes in the fight against infectious diseases, with significant reductions in diarrhoeal diseases, tuberculosis (TB), and HIV. “Our political commitment is yielding tangible results, and we are on track to accelerate our progress,” he added.

Furthermore, the government’s investment in local manufacturing has seen growing interest, with over 40 businesses submitting proposals to invest in Nigeria’s health sector. Pate also shared that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed with Afreximbank for a billion-dollar credit line to support these initiatives.

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, acknowledged the progress made in reducing under-five and infant mortality rates but emphasized the need for continued efforts to address challenges like neonatal mortality and malnutrition. He reiterated the commitment of the governors to the health sector compact and improving health outcomes for Nigerians.