FG Releases N32bn to Boost Primary Healthcare Nationwide
By Ekanem Asuquo
The Federal Government has approved the release of N32 billion to primary healthcare facilities across the country under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund as part of efforts to strengthen service delivery.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this after a meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee, where progress in the health sector was reviewed.
He said the funds are already reaching healthcare facilities, noting that the intervention is a key component of ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health sector renewal programme.
Pate explained that the government plans to expand direct funding to an additional 5,000 health facilities to improve access to quality care nationwide.
He also revealed that tariffs for emergency ambulance services have been reviewed upward to enhance response capacity among service providers.
The minister noted that free treatment for emergency obstetric complications has benefited over 40,000 women, while more than 4,000 have received care under the fistula treatment programme.
On disease surveillance, he said over 200 outbreaks were recorded in the past year but were largely contained early through rapid response efforts. He urged state governments to strengthen their systems and prioritise the safety of health workers.
Pate further disclosed that more than 102 million children were vaccinated during the nationwide measles and rubella campaign, describing the exercise as unprecedented.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the management of public health funds, with support from civil society organisations.
The government said the intervention is aimed at improving healthcare delivery and advancing universal health coverage across Nigeria.
