The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced notable strides in bolstering primary healthcare services and expanding health insurance coverage nationwide.
Speaking at the 9th Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Pate disclosed that over 10 million Nigerians accessed BHCPF-supported primary healthcare services in the past year.
Additionally, Pate revealed that over 2.4 million Nigerians were newly enrolled in health insurance schemes, bringing the total insured population to 18.6 million. “This is a significant step toward achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria. We are making steady progress and are committed to achieving even greater results in the coming year,” he said.
The minister stressed the importance of accountability in managing BHCPF funds, urging citizens to monitor healthcare resource allocations in their communities and report irregularities. “Every penny disbursed must translate into quality healthcare services,” he emphasised.
Director-general of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri highlighted the steady rise in health insurance enrollment, which increased from 16.7 million in 2023 to 19.2 million as of November 2024, with projections to surpass 20 million by year-end.
Ohiri also noted that the BHCPF now provides coverage for 2.6 million individuals, granting the poorest and most vulnerable populations access to affordable healthcare. However, he pointed out challenges such as low awareness of health insurance and rising healthcare costs.
“To address these issues, we’ve increased capitation by 60 per cent and fee-for-service payments by 40 per cent, ensuring providers can deliver quality care,” he explained.
Other agencies at the meeting reiterated the government’s commitment to sustaining these achievements and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians, regardless of financial status, Science Nigeria reports.
