Healthcare Reform: Nigerian govt holds first national performance dialogue for health sector

The Nigerian government, on Monday, held its first quarterly dialogue on the performance of the health sector across the country in the past months.

The dialogue, according to the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, was between the federal authorities and sub-national governments, and key stakeholders in the health sector.

Mr Pate, in a statement shared on X, said the dialogue was organised as a part of the nation’s commitment to revamping the health system using the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach, backed by the National Health Act of 2014.

“This marks a bold and hopeful step towards transforming our health system through the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach, emphasising the cooperative federalism mandated by the National Health Act of 2014,” he said.

Collaboration

Mr Pate reiterated that the goal of the dialogue is to promote collaboration and equitable distribution of responsibilities among health workers and providers at both national and sub-national levels of government alongside the private sector and development partners.

He added that the quarterly dialogue further affirms the government’s “unwavering commitment to improving population health outcomes for all Nigerians.”

To achieve the targeted outcome, he said the Ministry of Health has chosen to prioritise the improvement of the Penta 3 immunisation coverage for children and simultaneously reduce the population of children without immunisation.

Mr Pate also noted that the government is deploying every available tool to reduce maternal mortality rate and improve safe deliveries, antenatal care, skilled workers and health insurance.

“We are focused on improving Penta 3 coverage, increasing the proportion of fully immunised children, reducing the number of zero-dose children, enhancing the proportion of deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants, improving antenatal care coverage, and increasing access to health insurance and primary healthcare services,’’ he stated.

The minister further added that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is committed to tracking the utilisation rates of various services and the satisfaction of the country’s population. “We encourage states to track their progress against these indicators.”

He said: “We are grateful for the steadfast support of our development partners, who ensure that resources are directed towards priority areas that will significantly enhance health outcomes for our citizens.

“This is not just about cooperation; it is about accountability and collective progress. We have agreed to hold each other accountable, learn together, and work together through regular performance dialogues and evaluations.”

Nigeria’s health crisis

Given the numerous challenges affecting the health sector, a dialogue targeted at improving collaborative efforts between national and subnational governments and other key players in the health sector is imperative.

The health system faces numerous challenges, impacting the quality and accessibility of healthcare. Recently, the World Bank’s Human Capital Public Expenditure and Institutional Review rated Nigeria’s health budget as the lowest globally.

According to the review: “Nigeria ranks near the bottom in Africa in Universal Health Coverage. With a score of 44, Nigeria’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) index has seen some improvement over time but still ranks among the lowest in the African region.”

According to the organisation, such high reliance on out-of-pocket payments has adverse effects on the health system and population who must bear the financial burden it places on households.

“On average, health-related expenses push more than 1 million Nigerians into poverty each year.”

The World Bank’s report said most government expenditures are focused on secondary and tertiary healthcare at the expense of primary and basic health services.

The country’s health system is also characterised by poor health indices. The country has one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates globally as many women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Also, a substantial number of children do not survive their first five years of life. In 2022, Nigeria was ranked as the country with the highest malaria prevalence among the 29 countries, collectively accounting for 95 per cent of the global burden.