By Ojoma Akor:
The federal government has disbursed over 32 billion under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the first and second quarters of this year to strengthen healthcare service delivery in more than 8,000 primary healthcare centres across the country.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate, made the disclosure in Abuja, during the 11th ( Q2 2025) ministerial oversight committee ( MOC) of the BHCPF.
He said N16 billion was disbursed in the first quatre while another 16 billion was disbursed in the second quarter.
He said, ” And the goal is very simple to ensure that , about 8,000 facilities across the country, are able to provide access, ensure that people have access to quality services, and provide the commodities that are necessary to treat people.”
The minister said this has further enhanced renovation of primary healthcare centres , equiped facilities , provided commodities , and trained health care workers to ensure that they are able to respond to needs.
He said, “So what that means, in essence, is that more people will have access to good quality services, and in that in turn means that they can be more healthy and obviously become productive in the economy.”
He added that the government has supported 37 million visits to health facilities through the BHCPF.
While saying that it is a landmark achievement, he added that it is a testament to the collaboration between the federal government, states, local government, including the civil society, private sector, and others.
He enjoined states to continue domestic resource mobilization for health so that collectively, Nigeria- can begin to wean itself off dependency on external financing over time.
“We are not there yet because we have not been collecting enough revenue.That is why things like a tax bill is an important milestone. If we can collect more of the resources that are due, then governments at all levels will have the resources to be able to invest in health,” he added.
Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health, said the BHCPF’s implementation is driven by transparency and inclusivity.
“The Oversight Committee showcases a model of governance that includes sub-national actors, civil society, and all key agencies. This synergy is leading to more effective service delivery,” he said.
Highlighting developments at the sub-national level, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, Chair of the Health Commissioners Forum, said, “We are seeing the impact on the ground massive renovations, re-equipping of facilities, training of health workers, and consistent supply of essential medicines. These efforts are making healthcare more accessible and improving the overall health and productivity of Nigerians.”
