The Federal Government says efforts are ongoing to address challenges affecting the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) toward achieving universal health coverage and improving health outcomes for citizens.
By Oluwafunke Ishola
The Federal Government says efforts are ongoing to address challenges affecting the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) toward achieving universal health coverage and improving health outcomes for citizens.
Dr Mukhtar Muhammad, Secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee of BHCPF said this during the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Media Engagement on BHCPF on Wednesday in Lagos.
The BHCPF is a key component of the National Health Act, designed to ensure that every Nigerian has access to basic healthcare services, particularly the poor and vulnerable populations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fund is primarily sourced from one per cent of the federal government’s consolidated revenue and contributions from donors and international partners.
The fund aims to strengthen the health system, improve healthcare delivery, and increase access to essential health services across the country.
Muhammad said the fund was critical to improving healthcare delivery with a strong emphasis on primary healthcare, equity, community participation and quality improvement.
He, however, said resolving challenges of timely disbursement of funds, coordination among the gateways and ensuring equitable resource distribution was vital to the fund’s success.
“Effective implementation and oversight are essential to ensure that the fund achieves its intended objectives and makes a tangible impact on health outcomes of the Nigerian population.
“The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare has made giant steps to ensure that the BHCPF is utilised efficiently in the country.
“Also, to galvanise the various sectors and stakeholders in health to focus on one goal, to work together in one direction, to make sure that our combined effort is greater than our individual results,” he said.
On implementation and monitoring, Muhammad said the fund was closely monitored to ensure transparency, accountability and achievement of its objectives.
“This involves collaboration among federal, state, and local governments, as well as civil society organisations and international partners,” he said.
According to him, the BHCPF operates through four gateways, each with specific responsibilities to ensure the effective use of funds.
The gateways include National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC) and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
He said the inclusion of the NCDC gateway adds a vital dimension to the BHCPF especially in enhancing Nigeria’s ability to respond to public health emergencies.
Also, Mr Olasunkanmi Agboola, Assistant Director of NHIA, speaking on the NHIA progress in the BHCPF programme, said NHIA successfully disbursed N63 billion since the inception of BHCPF in 2019.
Agboola said all 36 states and the FCT have established state social health insurance agencies, adding that 8,200 facilities now receive proceeds from NHIA disbursement, compared to 7800 in April 2024.
According to him, it enrolled an additional 160,000 citizens into the BHCPF programme, increasing the number of enrolled citizens to 1.96 million.
He disclosed that the utilisation of insured citizens stood at 15 per cent.
Similarly, Dr Saidu Ahmed, National Programme Manager of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), said the service funds the treatment of critical emergency cases, particularly for those unable to pay.
Ahmed said the service had established the rural emergency service and maternal transport programme to ensure timely access to health services in rural areas toward reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. (NAN)
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