The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has revealed its visionary plan to enhance primary health centres (PHCs) across Nigeria by 2024, as part of moves to revolutionise healthcare accessibility across the country.
The executive director of NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina outlined this transformative vision after a strategic meeting for the agency in Abuja over the weekend.
Expressing determination and commitment to this ambitious goal, Aina emphasised the agency’s focus on improving healthcare services and facilities, especially in rural and underserved areas across the nation. The initiative seeks to address the urgent need for quality primary healthcare and ensure equitable access to essential medical services.
Under the guidance of President Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Ali Pate, the agency has identified four pillars to guide its work. The first pillar centres on enhancing the governance of the health sector, including strengthening health institutions to deliver on the National Health Act. The second pillar aims at ensuring equitable and quality access to health services for all Nigerians.
Aina explained, “The third pillar involves improving the business of health in Nigeria and the supply chain. The fourth pillar is centred around health security.” Over the past three months, the NPHCDA conducted assessments and engaged with stakeholders to determine the strategic direction. As a result, the agency has developed a comprehensive strategy, one aspect of which is the investment in functional primary health centres.
Currently, 8,300 centres are being funded under the basic health care provision funds, and the agency plans to expand this number while ensuring they have the necessary workforce, commodities and infrastructure. A key focus of the strategy is to produce, equip and retain frontline health workers. The government, in collaboration with the NPHCDA, states, and the Federal Ministry of Health aims to enhance the production, retention, and satisfaction of health workers while lowering the cost of health commodities through pooled procurement and supporting local manufacturing.
The NPHCDA’s strategy also includes reforms to the disbursement of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, incentivising quality and providing facilities with flexibility in fund usage. Additionally, the agency will collaborate with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to enhance health security and response to outbreaks and emergencies.
To implement these strategies, the NPHCDA will undergo structural reforms to better engage with states and partners. Transparency and accountability measures will be instituted, including regular communication to Nigerians on progress and two-way channels for feedback. The ultimate goal is to ensure that all Nigerians have access to necessary health services, reduce mortality and sickness rates, and improve the overall health of the nation.
