The Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has said that the Federal Government has enabled more than 10 million Nigerians to access primary healthcare centres funded by the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
He made the disclosure on the sidelines of the ninth meeting of the oversight ministerial committee on the BHCPF for the year 2024, held Wednesday at Hawthorn Suites Hotel in Garki, Abuja.
Speaking to newsmen, the minister said over the last one year, more than 10 million Nigerians, including the poorest and most vulnerable, have accessed and received critical services in basic healthcare funded primary health care centres in the country.
He further pointed out that under the Tinubu Administration, there has been an exponential increase in financing and expansion of primary health care services for all Nigerians, aligning with the sector-wide approach.
Citing upward shift in skilled qualified attendants and health insurance, Pate said: “It’s been appreciated, approved by the President and acquired by the President just one year ago.”
On the judicious utilisation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, he stated that the Ministry of Health is strengthening the governance structure for disbursement of the fund to the intended destination.
He said: “We call on all Nigerians where there are Basic Healthcare Provision Fund facilities to track the resources and, if there are issues that they see at the primary healthcare centres, local government or states, to report it.
“We are determined to ensure that every penny that is disbursed reaches the poorest and most vulnerable people to get the quality primary healthcare that they need.
“I think the health sector renewal investment initiative (NHSRII) unveiled by the President appears to be working. These are early steps, but we need to sustain it in 2025.”
Buttressing the dynamics of the BHCPF, the Coordinator of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and Ministerial Oversight Committee Secretary, Dr. Mukhtar Yawale, pointed out that Nigeria’s health sector has experienced an unprecedented progress and development within a short period.
He described the coordination of the sector and pulling of resources in one place by the donors both national and international to achieve one goal as a remarkable achievement.
