The Federal Government, as part of its efforts to provide essential health and care services to women and children, has disclosed that it will disburse N50 billion to Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the country by the first quarter of 2024.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, made this known during the fifth Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting in Abuja.
Lafiya360 reports that the Minister explained that the funds, which have already accrued in the BHCPF, will be channelled through state PHC facilities.
It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu disclosed that his administration plans to expand the number of functional PHCs across the country from 8,000 to about 17,000 between 2024 and 2027, in order to provide quality healthcare services to the poor and vulnerable without them experiencing financial hardship.
Prof. Pate, while explaining the roles of the committee, emphasised its commitment is to refine criteria, address packaging issues, and determine how providers are compensated.
He also stressed that the government will ensure the entrenchment of transparency, accountability, and answerability, both at the state and local government levels, especially in the utilisation of funds for Nigerians.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Forum of Health Commissioners in Nigeria, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, while expressing confidence in the quality of the conversations during the meeting, stated that the goal is to accelerate efforts towards the country achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all, through the BHCPF channel.
The Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Walter Mulombo, lauded the recently launched Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative by the Federal Government.
He expressed confidence that the discussions will fast-track the country’s efforts towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and UHC for all Nigerians.