The Federal Government has disclosed that it will disburse N50 billion from the Basic Health Provision Fund (BHCPF) to service, upgrade, and expand primary healthcare centers nationwide.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, while disclosing this during the conclusion of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting in Abuja, said the positive impacts of the revitalization of the country’s health sector, led by the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and centered on the Ministerial Four-Point Agenda, will soon be evident to Nigerians.
A subcommittee within the MOC, composed of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Chairman of State Primary Health Care Development Agencies, Chairman of Health Commissioner’s Forum, representatives of development partners, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), have been established to ensure the effective implementation of the allocated BHCPF.
The Minister said there is no time to waste for work to start, “In the first quarter of 2024, at least N50b, which has already accrued in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
“We expect that to be disbursed through the State’s primary health care facilities to deliver services to women and children.
“That is part of the target that Mr. President has set for us so that we can expand the facilities over the next four years from 8,000 to almost 17,000 healthcare centers but also to enroll more vulnerable Nigerians to have access to quality healthcare services.”
Pate emphasized that the government would remain vigilant in overseeing the utilization of the disbursed funds, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.
“The work of this Ministerial Oversight Committee continues to refine the criteria, issues of the package, how providers are paid, but importantly to ensure it’s embedded in the context of improved accountability, improved answerability, so the health facilities receiving these resources, State and Local governments are able to answer to their people.
“What are they using the resources for, as well as what we do at the Federal government level to respond to Nigerians in terms of the progress we’ll be making over the next four years?
“We’ll do that transparently, cost-correcting as necessary, but all on the path to achieving the direction that the President has set for us to improve the health and well-being of Nigerians.”
Development partners enthusiastically endorsed and pledged unwavering support for the comprehensive plans outlined by the government through the Sector-wide approach, as articulated in the recently unveiled Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Compact, jointly signed by the Federal and State governments, along with development partners, with the shared goal of revitalizing the nation’s health sector.
Walter Kazadi Mulombo, the WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, in his remarks, pledged further commitment towards the success of the government plans, saying, “Today’s discussion was really encouraging and in the right direction because it set the time for a reset for business unusual to really accelerate health towards achieving SDG and hopefully and catch up.
“Very encouraging exchanges and we are happy to be part of this discussion witnessed by us and also at the same time express our commitment to being our contributions, alongside other development partners to make sure that this programme is really a success; indeed, there’s really hope that things will change and we’ll start witnessing a new Nigeria than the one we knew before as far as health is concerned and we hope it will trigger a ripple effect to other sectors as well, to follow suit.”
Chika Okafor of Health Reforms Coalition, representing Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), echoed the sentiments of the development partners, emphasizing that the recent developments have collectively entrusted the revitalization of the Nigerian health sector to all crucial stakeholders.
“We are seeing that all hands are on deck, and that is the beauty of this meeting, with everyone included, so we cannot afford to fail.
“Now we have the accountability, the touch light is on us to make sure that we do not fail because we have a sub-committee that is going to be developed if, for instance, we fail and we will not fail, we are all culpable, we are all in it.
“We must all put on our passionate hats to think about the poor and the vulnerable, that’s what this meeting is about,” Offor said.
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