FG approves N32.88bn to strengthen PHC nationwide

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja 

The Federal Government has approved the disbursement of N32.88 billion under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to sustain the delivery of Primary Health Care (PHCs) services across Nigeria.

The approval was granted on Friday, at the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting of the BHCPF held in Abuja, where stakeholders reviewed progress in the implementation of key health sector reforms and adopted measures to improve healthcare financing, governance and service delivery.

A media release made available to journalists indicated that the Committee approved N32, 880,443,906.25 as the Q2 2026 BHCPF disbursement to support healthcare services nationwide.

The meeting, chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, brought together representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, implementing agencies, state governments, civil society organisations and development partners to assess progress under the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).

Among the key decisions reached was the approval of modalities for the inclusion of private sector actors in the Ministerial Oversight Committee framework to broaden stakeholder participation in health sector governance.

The Committee also directed its secretariat to formally communicate with all 36 states, reminding them of their obligations regarding counterpart funding and equity fund commitments aimed at strengthening healthcare financing.

The meeting reviewed implementation updates from various BHCPF gateways and national health programmes, including reports from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Participants also received updates from development partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation and the World Bank, on ongoing interventions supporting Nigeria’s health sector reforms.