…Set To enroll 90,000 prison inmates into Vulnerable Group Fund for health insurance

The Federal Government has approved the released and disbursement of N40.7 billion to primary healthcare centres across the country under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).

It also announced plans to expand the number of primary healthcare facilities covered by the BHCPF by including 5,000 additional facilities to the existing 8000 benefiting PHCs and strengthen the recruitment of frontline health workers.
Meanwhile about 90,000 prison inmates in the country Nigerians will be covered under the Vulnerable Group Fund for health insurance, in a move aimed at widening access to essential
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the 16th BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting, explained that the expansion would take the number of primary healthcare facilities receiving support beyond the existing 8,000, with the additional centres selected based on equity considerations, disease burden, population distribution and distance to healthcare services.

He noted that monthly disbursements into the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) had almost doubled, with states also receiving increased allocations to support healthcare delivery, attributing the increase in healthcare funding to rising government revenues.

The minister however, stressed that the Federal Government’s intervention could not sustainably strengthen the country’s health system without corresponding financial commitments from state and local governments.

“The only way this will work is that we approach this as a national health system,” the minister said, urging subnational governments to increase their spending on healthcare and other essential social services.

Pate also disclosed that savings made through the relevant primary healthcare development agency would support the recruitment of frontline health workers, with a transition plan over the next three years to enable states to increasingly assume responsibility for their employment and funding.

He explained that the arrangement was intended to ensure continuity in service delivery while encouraging states to recruit additional personnel to address staffing gaps in primary healthcare facilities.

The minister said the government was also working to improve access to affordable healthcare commodities and strengthen procurement practices to secure better prices for products supplied to primary healthcare facilities.
Pate emphasized the need for stronger financial accountability in the management of healthcare funds, advocating the use of digital tools and artificial intelligence to track disbursements, scrutinise records and identify possible irregularities.

He said improved monitoring systems, supported by adequate cybersecurity safeguards, would help establish whether public funds were reaching facilities and translating into actual healthcare services for Nigerians.

The minister also urged civil society organisations, community leaders, the media and anti-corruption agencies to support efforts to ensure that resources allocated to primary healthcare were properly utilised.

On disease control, he expressed concern over outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera and diphtheria, calling for stronger state-level interventions and increased public awareness.

Pate particularly urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive routine vaccinations against diphtheria, noting that the disease is vaccine-preventable.

Also speaking, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Adekunle Salako, said the government had approved the enrollment of about 90,000 prison inmates in health insurance under the Vulnerable Group Fund for health insurance, in a move aimed at widening access to essential medical services.

Salako said the administration was prioritising not only increased funding but also the efficient use of available resources to maximise their impact on healthcare delivery.

He added that the Federal Government was strengthening collaboration with civil society organisations and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to improve procurement oversight and accountability.

Salako observed that while federal interventions would continue to support primary healthcare delivery, states and local governments must contribute more resources to ensure sustainable improvements in access to essential health services.