President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, December 12, rolled out his administration’s plans to make healthcare cheap and easily accessible to all Nigerians.
President Tinubu unpacked his health sector reorganization and liberalization plans while delivering his address at an event commemorating this year’s Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) Day and the unveiling of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Tinubu said his administration, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, right from the 2024 fiscal year, will commence a massive revamping of the health sector through the resuscitation of physical infrastructure and equipment, as well as retraining of personel across the sector.
He also said the plan, which will take easily accessible and affordable healthcare to Nigerians, will see the administration introducing policies and strategies that are focused on total restructuring of the sector, working with state governments and other development partners.
Tinubu noted: “Recognizing the importance of primary healthcare as the cornerstone of a resilient, integrated healthcare system, my administration is embarking on a massive effort from 2024 to revamp physical infrastructure, equipment, and retraining of frontline health workers, in collaboration with all the that the 36 states. I say again, thank you for your presence, all the governors here today.
“It’s not a political affiliation matter, it’s a commitment to the welfare of our people, working together as one single entity. Nigeria, with knowledge, people and determination, we will achieve it, we owe our people this, it’s a promise we made; campaigning dancing, ranting, making promises. Here we are. They gave us the mandate, all we pledged, that we will serve them. Now we must deliver.
“Yes, we agree that funding an investment in health is the cornerstone of a resilient, integrated healthcare programme, my administration will continue to work with all of you in equipping and retraining of frontline healthcare workers.
“Critical to my administration’s goal to provide universal health coverage for Nigerians is our commitment to reduce the financial burden in accessing healthcare, we must help our people. We are currently revitalizing the basic healthcare provision fund to better provide access to essential healthcare services under a full implemented National Health Care Act.
“We understand the importance of well trained human resources as valuable in delivering quality care and we are committed to investing in training, retention and welfare of health professionals to ensure a skilled and motivated workforce”, he said.
President Tinubu also advised developed countries coming to Nigeria to poach medical professionals to also consider investment in the sector so as to keep it afloat.
He boasted that Nigeria still remains a rallying point for best brains in the medical profession, a development that has seen him budgeting a substantial sum for the sector in the 2024 appropriations currently before the National Assembly.
“We encourage those Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora, just like Professor Ali Pate and Tunji Alausa have done, sacrifice their time to come back home and serve their people. Consider your contributions here at home, as we say, ‘Charity begins at home’.
“For the developed countries, who benefited from amazing talents of Nigerian health workers, we’ll really encourage them to consider how to support the expansion of training facilities in Nigeria to replace those that they have recruited from here. You should also look at short and long term opportunities that we offer.
“Yes, we have vibrant, well-educated society, but we need Nigeria to rise…on one side with climate change and drop the health system to decay. We will rise”, he said.
He noted that achieving the UHC requires sustainable financial planning, he, however assured that his administration would do the needful to ensure required funding mechanism is emplaced.
“Achieving UHC necessitates sustainable financial mechanism. We are committed to exploring innovative financing model, strengthen human healthcare assurance under a recognized re-energized National Health Insurance Authority. We will do it, and ensuring prudent, transparent, accountable allocation of resources to sustain the programme.
“In this regard, I approved and directed Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to implement a sector-wide approach in all programme, to reduce fragmentation and bring coherent alignment and improved accountability among government agencies. We must do it. Nigerian citizens and our development partners will require this.
“In addition to executive decisions, I have made it a goal to save lives and reduce physical and financial pains and provide healthcare that is equitable for all Nigerians. The strategic steps we’re taking will strengthen the governance of Nigeria’s health sector, boost efficiency, reduce leakages and support the effective implementation of National Healthcare Act”, he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq affirmed the total commitment of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the implementation of the signed Compact towards Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians.
Supported by about 16 governors on the podium, AbdulRazak said the governors will align with the provisions of the document by domesticating it into practicable and actionable policies and programmes.
“The NGF secretariat will move to provide support in tracking and implementing the outcomes of this Compact.
“I affirm the commitment of the NGF and to remain steadfast in its determination to make the Universal Health Coverage a reality for every Nigerian,”
In his keynote address, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, explained that the signed document translates to an agreement to align individual objectives with the priorities articulated in the Renewed Hope Health Sector Blueprint’s pillars to improve governance, accountability to our citizens, focus on reversing high maternal, newborn, and child diseases and deaths, unlocking the health care value chain through State-directed medical industrialization in partnership with the private sector, and enhancing Nigeria’s resilience and health security.
He said: “We will be adopting a more coordinated approach between Federal Government, State Governments, FCT, and all Development Partners, to achieving the desired improvement in the health of all Nigerians at scale.
“Specifically, we are redesigning of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, comprising at least 1% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, provided by the National Health Act (2014), as the foundational basis of the sector-wide approach, to: Ensure more equitable, allocation of resources to the poorest and most disadvantaged populations; Mobilize additional development partner (multilateral, bilateral, philanthropic, and private sector) financial resources to a common pool or aligned in parallel with the sector-wide approach
“Specifically, we expect at least $2.5 billion in pooled and non- pooled financing in the period 2024-2026, to be mobilized and channeled to improve our primary health system and achieve results.
“This represents contributions from external development partners and the Federal Government, expecting that State Governments, where primary health is delivered, will also contribute to the efforts.
“We expect to double the number of fully functional Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) receiving Decentralized Facility Financing for infrastructural upgrades, and operational costs to ensure delivery of high quality essential Primary Health Care package.
“Starting by making the existing 8,809 fully functional and gradually increase to 17,618 PHCs by 2027 in all 36 States and the FCT.
“We will link each of the PHCs in this effort to a Secondary Care facility providing Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care and to referral system by progressive development of a National Emergency and Medical Ambulance System.
“Specifically, we expect at least $2.5 billion in pooled and non- pooled financing in the period 2024-2026, to be mobilized and channeled to improve our primary health system and achieve results.
“This represents contributions from external development partners and the Federal Government, expecting that State Governments, where primary health is delivered, will also contribute to the efforts.
“We expect to double the number of fully functional Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) receiving Decentralized Facility Financing for infrastructural upgrades, and operational costs to ensure delivery of high quality essential Primary Health Care package. Starting by making the existing 8,809 fully functional and gradually increase to 17,618 PHCs by 2027 in all 36 States and the FCT.
“We will link each of the PHCs in this effort to a Secondary Care facility providing Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care and to referral system by progressive development of a National Emergency and Medical Ambulance System.
“We will refine the Vulnerable Group Fund (VGF) under the National Health Insurance Authority, working the States, optimizing risk pools to strategically purchase highest impact benefit package to improve health outcomes with a focus on financial protection.
“We will move Nigeria closer towards achieving Universal Health Coverage by gradually expanding health insurance coverage, ensuring healthy and viable risk pools, through more effective governance, and establishing an enabling environment for better public and private sector collaboration.
“We will complement the BHCPF financing in the sector-wide program with public health interventions to reduce the burden of Communicable and Non- Communicable Diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, strengthening systems and improve health security.
“We will prioritize “best-buy” investments in community health models, to serve as a critical entry point to public health services in a people-centered health system.
“As a first step, we are retraining of up to 120,000 frontline health workers as collaborative effort between Federal, State Governments, and key development partners to be followed by enhanced deployment of those frontline health workers.
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“We will also make transparent to all Government, Non- Governmental Partners, CSOs, and Citizens, the resources allocated, released, and results achieved over time”.
The Minister appreciated health development partners for the intense work they have done with with the government in the last three months, and for agreeing to fully support the sector-wide approach; to align behind Government’s priorities supporting national ownership; strengthen and use national institutions and systems where possible; and to reorient all technical and financial assistance, in a nationally coordinated manner, to the front ends of service delivery rather than processes and activities.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Dr Tunji Alausa noted the commemoration of the World Universal Health Coverage Day marks a major milestone for the Nigerian health sector of Nigeria with the signing and unveiling of the Compact document.
He said the theme of this year’s UHC Day, ‘Health for all: Time for Action, reminds all of the urgency and necessity of our endeavours.
He added: “Today, we mark a pivotal moment in our nation’s commitment as we unveil and witness the signing of the Health Renewal Compact-a testament of our dedication to transformative reforms in the health sector.”
