BHCPF: FG Disburses Over N32bn to PHCs, Plans Expansion — Health Ministry
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has announced the approval of over N32 billion for disbursement to strengthen Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, the approval was granted during the 14th meeting and the first-quarter 2026 session of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), held on March 24, 2026, in Abuja.
The BHCPF is a key Federal Government financing mechanism designed to ensure predictable funding, reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and improve access to quality services, particularly for vulnerable populations.
At the meeting, gateway agencies — the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) — presented implementation updates. Representatives of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) also shared field-level insights and recommendations.
These contributions highlighted progress in expanding service delivery, strengthening public health response, and improving financial protection for citizens as Nigeria advances towards Universal Health Coverage.
A major focus of the meeting was the accelerated rollout of BHCPF 2.0 under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), which aligns financing, service delivery, and accountability mechanisms to achieve better health outcomes nationwide. This aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
The committee reviewed several priority interventions, including:
MAMII — driving targeted, data-driven actions to reduce maternal and newborn mortality
HOPE-PHC — improving service readiness, workforce capacity, and overall PHC performance
National Health Fellows Programme (NHFP) — strengthening leadership, accountability, and service delivery
Progress on the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), alongside broader maternal and child health indicators, was also assessed, with emphasis on enhancing emergency response and lifesaving care.
Speaking at the meeting, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said:
“Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are deliberately aligning financing with outcomes. BHCPF 2.0 ensures that resources translate into real improvements in service delivery, particularly at the primary healthcare level where most Nigerians access care.”
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, added:
“This is about outcomes Nigerians can see and feel — safer deliveries, improved emergency response, and functional primary healthcare centres.”
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Professor Pate expressed optimism about the progress recorded in the health sector under the current administration. He noted that discussions covered both the BHCPF and the broader Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, with encouraging results across multiple indicators.
He highlighted improvements in healthcare utilisation, maternal health outcomes, and immunisation coverage, noting that funds disbursed through the BHCPF are reaching facilities as intended.
On expansion plans, the minister disclosed that additional PHCs will soon benefit from direct facility financing.
“We are on our way to expanding to 5,000 more facilities that will receive direct funding,” he said.
Professor Pate also revealed that the committee considered an upward review of ambulance service tariffs under NEMSAS to better compensate both public and private providers.
He further noted that the Federal Government’s policy on free emergency obstetric care is already yielding results, with over 40,000 women benefiting from reimbursed emergency services.
In addition, more than 4,000 women have received treatment under the free fistula programme, helping to restore their health and dignity.
The minister added that reimbursements for neonatal care have commenced, while the Comprehensive Emergency Management of Obstetric Services (CEMO) programme continues to show strong performance.
Providing further updates, he stated that Nigeria has made notable progress in controlling disease outbreaks, with over 200 incidents recorded and contained early within the past year.
He also cited gains in immunisation, revealing that more than 102 million children were vaccinated during the country’s largest integrated measles and rubella campaign launched last year.
