The federal government has approved the disbursement of ₦12.911b to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) for the fourth quarter of 2024 under the Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund (BHCPF).

The approval was given at yesterday’s 8th meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Abuja.

Meanwhile, in alignment with Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Initiative, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed, significant reforms of the BHCPF have been initiated. These reforms, led by a subcommittee established during the 5th MOC meeting in 2023, include an ongoing review of the BHCPF guidelines, operational architecture reforms, and strengthening governance structures.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, revealed that 2.4 million additional enrollees have been included in the Vulnerable Groups Fund in the past year and can now afford healthcare.

Pate stated that about 40,000 healthcare workers have been trained under the integrated healthworker training, adding that the government target is to train 120,000 frontline healthcare workers as part of the presidential initiative.

He said, “We are making progress in improving the governance of the health sector, which will improve population outcomes. We are grappling with difficult issues in a very complex sector, but we are making progress to improve population outcomes. Some states are doing well while others are lagging behind, but we need to make healthcare services available to the people.”

The Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) ensures the effective implementation, transparency, and accountability of the fund. It also oversees the BHCPF’s strategic direction, monitors fund disbursement, and ensures alignment among the four gateways: NHIA, NPHCDA, NEMSAS, and NCDC.

The MOC’s role is to ensure the effective utilisation of resources to improve access to quality healthcare for underserved populations, coordinate stakeholders, and promote adherence to national health policies, the committee said.