FG Approves Disbursement Of N25. 8b From BHCPF To Upgrade Primary Health Centres
THE Federal Government has approved the disbursement of N25. 8b from the Basic Health Provision Fund ( BHCPF) for the upgrade, and expansion of primary healthcare centres nationwide.
The amount is being released through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency ( NPHCDA) and the National Health Insurance Authority ( NHIA) gateways to provide them with financing and resources to their health care workforce and also provide financial protection for the poorest and most vulnerable population.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who disclosed after the meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, said that the “Federal Government is committed to improving the health of Nigerians and enhancing healthcare accessibility, affordability, as well as quality service delivery.”
He explained that the
Ministerial Oversight Committee met to deliberate onissuesof thebhcpfandthe Primary Healthcare agenda for the country within the context of the Sector- Wide approach. He observed that the committee took decisions that were critical to advancing the nation’s aspirations to improving primary health care and population health outcomes. According to the minister, the committee agreed to inaugurate seven technical working groups on various thematic areas to appraise the content of what government should do in the sector.
He observed that each state had developed an action plan to remedy gaps and weaknesses and ensure that the funds are judiciously used to provide deliver services to Nigerians.
The minister recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had unveiled the health sector Renewal Investment Initiative in December 2023, adding that “the government wants to make sure that every fund that is made available for the primary health care for both the federal and state governments are channelled towards service delivery.”
Also speaking the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Muyiwa Aina explained that some of the funds would be deployed to health facilities to get commodities they need to provide services to Nigerians including, light, water and Ad- hoc staffing to make the facilities work.
Aina observed that the NPHCDA wanted to encourage the Primary Healthcare Centres to provide quality care and improve transparency in the way the monies are spent and would use technology to track the money.