The federal government, through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), has disbursed N32 billion to strengthen primary healthcare services in the country.

This came as the government reaffirmed its commitment to delivering quality primary healthcare services nationwide through sustained investment in the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).

The government disclosed this at the 11th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting on the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Abuja.

It explained that the amount was disbursed in the first half of 2025 to support more than 8,000 primary healthcare facilities.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, in his address to participants, said more than 37 million health facility visits have been supported through the BHCPF, marking a critical milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“This achievement reflects our collective efforts across federal, state, and local levels, civil society, development partners, and the private sector. It is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the broader Renewed Hope Agenda,“ he said.

The recent fiscal reforms, including the presidential executive orders to unlock local healthcare manufacturing and the newly signed tax reform bill, the minister explained, are laying a sustainable financial foundation for the sector, reducing dependency on external aid.

He also noted that a treatment gap for about 50,000 Nigerians who tested positive for tuberculosis but are yet to commence care must be urgently addressed. He assured that the 2025 national budget includes specific provisions to bridge this gap, aided by improvements in diagnostic capacity that have earned Nigeria global recognition.

The minister further confirmed that local governments are now fully integrated into the health compact, working closely with state ministries and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to improve access at the grassroots level.

Earlier, in his speech, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, stressed the importance of the MOC governance mechanism in fostering collaboration across stakeholders and strengthening implementation across the BHCPF gateways.

He said, “The involvement of civil society, coupled with improved alignment across agencies, is yielding visible impacts. The president’s directive to unlock the health sector value chain is being actualised.”

On his part, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, who is also the Chairman of the Health Commissioners’ Forum, commended the efforts of the Federal Government and other stakeholders in improving the healthcare sector.

Filani said the recent meeting of health commissioners has yielded positive results, with a focus on ensuring that 8,000 facilities across the country provide quality services and commodities to the people.

“We’ve discussed over 6 months, and the goal is very simple; it’s to ensure that as many facilities… are able to provide access, ensure that people have access to quality services and provide the commodities that are necessary,” he said.

He explained that the ultimate goal is to ensure that more people have access to good-quality healthcare services and become healthier and more productive in the economy.

The 11th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting, chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, was organised by his ministry to review the progress of Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) implementation, strengthen its strategic direction, and advance ongoing reforms under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).

During the meeting, stakeholders presented critical updates across BHCPF gateways and support structures, highlighting key achievements, innovations, and next steps to enhance the Fund’s impact nationwide. (Vanguard)