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By Doris Obinna
The Federal Government has begun onboarding State Oversight Committees across the country to enhance transparency and efficiency in implementing the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0.
Speaking at the Southwest zonal meeting, Secretary of the Ministry of Oversight Committee at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Oritseweyimi Ogbe, said the exercise aims to deepen stakeholders’ understanding of the revised BHCPF guidelines and ensure funds are used effectively.
Ogbe explained that the BHCPF, designed to improve Nigerians’ access to quality healthcare, is implemented through four gateways: the National Primary Health Care Development Agency 45 per cent; State Health Insurance Agencies 48.25 per cent; Emergency Medical Treatment, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control 1.25 per cent. Funds are used to support PHC operations, insurance for vulnerable groups, emergency care, and outbreak response.
He noted that BHCPF 2.0 introduces tighter monitoring measures, including financial management officers in every local government, civil society tracking, and digital monitoring of facility-level expenditures. The ministry has, also, partnered with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to enforce accountability.
“The Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, has emphasised that every naira must translate into measurable health outcomes,” Ogbe said, adding that over 8,309 PHCs currently benefit from the fund, with plans to scale up to 17,600 by 2027.
Lagos State Health Commissioner, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described the new BHCPF 2.0 as a “transformative framework” that streamlines governance, reduces bureaucratic delays, and ensures faster approvals. He said Lagos has 245 accredited PHCs under the scheme, and is working to upgrade more facilities.
Abayomi also stressed the fund’s role in bolstering emergency preparedness and providing insurance coverage for vulnerable Nigerians, in line with the NHIA Act of 2022.
In a goodwill message, National Coordinator of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office, Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and described BHCPF 2.0 as a renewed social contract with Nigerians. He urged state committees to enforce compliance and address accountability lapses identified in the 2023 BHCPF Audit Report, echoing Prof. Pate’s warning that “corruption in the health sector kills.”
Umar-Sadiq called for realistic, evidence-based 2026 health operational plans, stressing that “every Nigerian who walks into a primary healthcare centre deserves care, dignity, and healing.” He further noted that the Federal Ministry of Health is investing in digital infrastructure, to enable real-time tracking of disbursements, enhance citizen participation, and strengthen data-driven decision-making in the health system. The online BHCPF dashboard, he said, will allow the public to view allocations to PHCs and assess progress toward universal health coverage.
The SWAp Coordination Office, he added, will continue to support the effective functioning of oversight committees to align health initiatives under the “One Conversation” principle for greater efficiency. He called on state commissioners to demonstrate strong leadership and integrity in implementing the reforms, stressing that the BHCPF represents hope for millions of Nigerians seeking care and dignity at primary health centres.
