FG releases N40.7bn for healthcare, expands support to 13,000 PHCs
The Federal Government has approved N40.7 billion for distribution to states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), while extending support to more than 13,000…
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) is a federal financing mechanism, backed by a statutory one-percent consolidated revenue allocation, designed to strengthen primary health care delivery across Nigeria by funding drugs, personnel, equipment and emergency services at the grassroots level. It is jointly implemented by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the National Health Insurance Authority and the Federal Ministry of Health, with states and the FCT expected to draw down allocations to upgrade primary health centres (PHCs) that serve as the first point of contact for most Nigerians, particularly in rural areas.
Nigeria's primary healthcare system has long suffered from poor funding, understaffing and dilapidated infrastructure, making expansions of the BHCPF significant for efforts to improve maternal, child and emergency health outcomes. Both Tribune and Leadership report the N40.7 billion release and the extension of coverage to 13,000 facilities, with Leadership specifying this includes 5,000 newly added PHCs. Neither report details how the funds will be disbursed to individual states, timelines for the expansion, or mechanisms for monitoring how the money is spent once released.