The Federal Government has said it disbursed a total sum of N130 billion to all the states of the Federation under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) since the fund’s implementation began in 2019.
This fund, established under the 2014 National Health Act, is financed through a 1percent contribution from Nigeria’s consolidated annual revenue, alongside donations from development partners. It is aimed at ensuring the provision of basic healthcare services across the country by supporting primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in meeting their operational costs and providing the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS).
Mukhtar Muhammad, Secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee of BHCPF, raised concerns about the accountability and transparency in the utilisation of the funds. He alleged instances of misuse, particularly at the primary healthcare level, while highlighting Nigeria’s persistently poor health outcomes, which he described as alarming.
He reported that although Nigeria accounts for only 2.4percent of the world’s population, it contributes 10percent of global maternal deaths. Muhammad also expressed concern over the country’s high maternal mortality rate, with 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births. Additionally, approximately 262,000 babies die at birth annually in Nigeria, the second-highest national total in the world. Infant mortality stands at 69 per 1,000 live births, while the under-five mortality rate is 128 per 1,000 live births.
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He assured that the government was working to strengthen oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency and value for money in the utilisation of the funds.
Muhammad also criticised many states for failing to provide the requisite 25percent counterpart funding, despite the persistent weak infrastructure across healthcare facilities.
Providing a breakdown of the disbursements, Muhammad said about N14 billion was disbursed in 2019, N13 billion in 2020, N34 billion in 2021, N31 billion in 2023, and N25.8 billion so far in 2024. He noted that an additional N12.9 billion is expected to be disbursed soon.
On the impact of the fund, Muhammad reported an increase in the number of primary healthcare facilities accessing the fund, from 745 PHCs across all states in 2019 to about 8,306 PHCs in 2024.
“We’ve also enrolled 1,960,000 in 2024 into the basic minimum healthcare package,” he said.
