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By Doris Obinna
Stakeholders across government institutions, civil society organisations, youth networks, development partners, community leaders and the media have launched the GoFundPHC Campaign, a citizen-driven advocacy and accountability initiative aimed at strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) systems in Lagos State through improved financing, transparency, performance tracking and community participation.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Public Health Sustainable Advocacy Initiative (PHSAI), with the support of Pathfinder International and in collaboration with other consortium partners, seeks to mobilise citizens to demand increased and better-managed investment in PHC, while promoting accountability and measurable service delivery outcomes at the community level.
At the launch in Lagos, stakeholders acknowledged and commended the ongoing health sector reforms and investments by the Lagos State Government, including efforts to improve health infrastructure, expand health insurance coverage, strengthen PHC governance and reposition the health system towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
However, they emphasised that infrastructure expansion must be matched with stronger accountability mechanisms, transparent financing and improved service delivery at ward and facility levels.
Speaking, Chairman, PHSAI, Barrister Ayo Adebusoye, described PHCs as the closest and most critical level of care for most residents, serving as the foundation for disease prevention, maternal and child health, epidemic preparedness and universal health coverage. Despite ongoing investments, he noted that Lagos State continues to face persistent PHC challenges, including shortages of skilled health workers, weak service readiness, limited 24-hour services, unreliable power and water supply, uneven distribution of facilities across wards, high out-of-pocket spending and low public confidence in government-owned PHCs.
According to him, available evidence presented indicated that only about two-thirds of the required PHC workforce is currently in place, many wards still lack functional PHC facilities, and more than half of residents seek care in private or informal health settings. These gaps, he warned, expose households to preventable illnesses, financial hardship and avoidable deaths, while placing unnecessary pressure on secondary and tertiary health facilities.
Adebusoye further reiterated that the GoFundPHC Campaign was established to address these gaps by pushing for dedicated and increased funding for PHC at both state and local government levels. He noted that health budget allocations in Lagos State have historically hovered between eight and 11 per cent, stressing that this falls short of what is required to sustain functional PHC services.
Adebusoye also raised concerns about delays and inconsistencies in the release of approved health funds, describing timely cash-backed releases as critical to effective service delivery. He called for full transparency and public accountability in PHC financing; including open reporting of budgets, releases and expenditures related to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, insurance-related funds and LGA and LCDA health allocations.
The GoFundPHC Campaign further urged local government and LCDA chairmen, described as the frontline custodians of PHC, to take direct responsibility for the functionality and performance of PHCs within their jurisdictions.
On his part, Convener, GoFundPHC Campaign, Mr Abiodun Ajayi, said the initiative would also track the quality of services being rendered at both public and private health facilities, stressing that accountability should apply across the health system. He noted that rebuilding public trust in PHC services is critical to improving health-seeking behaviour and reducing unnecessary reliance on higher levels of care.
Ajayi added that while the campaign is currently focused on Lagos State, there are plans to scale it to other states based on lessons learned and demonstrated impact. He emphasised that strengthening PHC requires shared ownership, with the state providing stewardship and oversight, and local governments translating policies and funding into responsive services at community level.
