Nigeria revitalises 500 health centres, targets 3,000 more – Official

In a significant development, the Nigerian government said it has revitalised over 500 Village Health Centers (VHCs) across the country, with plans to revamp an additional 3,000 in the next year.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Nigeria Universal Healthcare Forum in collaboration with Options Consultancy Services, a global body of health experts.

Mr Aina said revitalising VHCs is a key component of President Tinubu’s Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which he noted is aimed at making basic healthcare services accessible to all Nigerians.

He added that the move has already led to a 15 per cent increase in immunisation rates and a significant rise in antenatal care services.

Harmonisation

The Regional Director of Options Consultancy Services, Ufuoma Omo-Obi, emphasised the importance of bringing together concerned parties across the health ecosystem to achieve universal health coverage.

He highlighted the need for harmonisation, citing the success of state-led accountability mechanisms and the Evidence for Action (E4A) MAMAYE programme in Lagos, which utilised community-based evidence to drive interventions and ensure essential commodities reach primary health care centres.

Mr Omo-Obi stressed the importance of inclusive programming, recognising that everyone, regardless of their background or language, has a role to play in driving better health outcomes.

Also, he encouraged concerned parties to work together, share their thoughts, and utilise tools to advance universal health coverage, ultimately saving lives and improving human well-being.

Speaking also at the meeting, the Managing Partner at DGI Consult, Gafar Alawode, said it was time to move from talks to actions that would yield tangible results.

Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative

The Nigerian government in 2023 launched the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) as part of its efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

This was disclosed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate.

“The pursuit of UHC and better health for all Nigerians necessitates a multi-sectoral and whole-of-government approach,” the minister had remarked at the time.

Mr Pate explained that the NHSRII has been articulated to advance Nigeria’s journey towards UHC, aiming to guide the renewal of the country’s health system as part of the government’s broader health agenda. The focus, he said, is on driving towards UHC, ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location, economic status, or employment, can access essential services for a healthy life without financial strain.

The initiative, Mr Pate noted, directly addresses poor population health outcomes, exacerbated by highly inequitable access to health.

He highlighted that the initiative would leverage the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in partnership with state governments and development partners in a transformational sector-wide approach programme to improve health outcomes. This included plans to train additional human resources for health and make available at least 17,000 functional primary healthcare centres.

NPHCDA

NPHCDA is a parastatal of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, established in 1992. It was formed to build on Nigeria’s primary health care successes from 1986-1992, which earned the country a top ranking globally.

The agency provides technical and programmatic support to states, LGAs, and other concerned parties to enhance primary health care services in Nigeria, with a vision to improve the health and quality of life of Nigerians, especially in developing communities, through innovative primary health care development approach.