FG Releases N32.88bn Health Fund, Reports Major Gains in Primary Healthcare

FG Releases N32.88bn Health Fund, Reports Major Gains in Primary Healthcare

The Federal Government has approved the disbursement of N32.88 billion as the second-quarter 2026 allocation under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), as part of efforts to strengthen primary healthcare services and improve health outcomes nationwide.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the approval during the 15th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting of the BHCPF in Abuja.

Pate said the fund, amounting to N32,880,443,906.25, would be distributed to eligible gateways, states and local governments to support healthcare delivery and sustain ongoing reforms in the sector.

According to the minister, the Tinubu administration has significantly increased investment in primary healthcare, disclosing that N235 billion of the N339 billion released through the BHCPF over the past 12 years was disbursed within the last three years.

He revealed that more than 8,000 primary healthcare centres now receive direct quarterly funding, while over 3,000 facilities have been revitalised across the country.

The minister added that emergency medical services funded through the scheme have provided care for over 130,000 Nigerians, while health insurance coverage has expanded with six million new enrollees.

Pate further highlighted achievements including free emergency obstetric care for more than 48,000 women, fistula repair surgeries for over 4,700 women and strengthened national preparedness against disease outbreaks such as Ebola.

He noted that preliminary findings from the 2026 Mini Demographic and Health Survey indicate improvements in key health indicators, including skilled birth attendance, immunisation coverage, child healthcare, contraceptive uptake and HIV services.

Despite the progress, the minister described the gains as fragile and called on state and local governments to complement federal interventions through timely counterpart funding and adequate staffing of primary healthcare facilities.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining health sector reforms and accelerating efforts toward achieving universal health coverage for all Nigerians.

The meeting also reviewed progress under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and identified measures to address implementation challenges and improve service delivery nationwide.