Group launches GoFundPHC to boost transparency, tracking in Lagos healthcare

To promote transparency, performance tracking and encourage community involvement in Lagos State’s Primary Health Care (PHC) system, a coalition across government institutions, civil society organisations, youth networks, the media among others have unveiled GoFundPHC campaign.

The coalition during the unveiling of the campaign noted that the initiative also seeks to reposition PHCs as functional, trusted and accessible first points of care, through digital platforms and grassroots mobilisation.

Speaking at the launch, Ayo Adebusoye, chairman of the Public Health Sustainable Advocacy Initiative (PHSAI), affirmed that the campaign was designed to mobilise citizens to demand better-managed investment in PHC and to ensure that ongoing reforms translate into tangible improvements at the community level.
Adebusoye commended the Lagos State Government’s efforts to upgrade infrastructure, expand health insurance coverage and reposition the health system towards Universal Health Coverage but emphasised that infrastructure alone could not address persistent gaps in service delivery.

He described Primary Health Care as the first and most critical level of healthcare for residents, forming the foundation for disease prevention, maternal and child health, epidemic preparedness, and universal coverage.

Chairman of the PHSAI highlighted continuing challenges, including shortages of skilled health workers, inconsistent access to power and water, limited 24-hour services, uneven facility distribution across wards, heavy reliance on out-of-pocket spending, and low public confidence in government-owned PHCs.

To Adebusoye, the GoFundPHC campaign aimed to address these issues by mobilising citizens, especially young people and community actors, to track PHC funding, document service readiness, amplify community voices, promote data-driven decision-making, and support constructive engagement between citizens and government institutions.

Therefore, he called on the State Government to deepen reforms by strengthening stewardship of PHCs through transparent financing, routine public reporting on performance, stronger supervision, accelerated digitisation and enforcement of service standards.

He added that coordinated efforts from the state down to local governments and local council development areas (LCDAs) were crucial to ensure policies and funding commitments led to visible improvements in communities.

Adebusoye stressed the need for Local Government and LCDA chairmen to take direct responsibility for the performance and functionality of PHCs in their jurisdictions.
“They must prioritise PHC in budgets, ensure timely fund releases, deploy and retain skilled health workers, provide incentives and accommodation for 24-hour services, and strengthen community accountability structures such as Ward Development Committees and facility feedback mechanisms.”

He stressed that making local leadership more accountable was critical for transparency, effective implementation and sustainable system improvement.

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“Communities, civil society organisations and youth groups, must actively monitor PHC facilities, report service gaps, participate in accountability structures, and engage decision-makers constructively.

“Development partners and the media should sustain attention on PHC financing, service quality and performance outcomes”.

While stating that delays in the release of allocated funds often undermined service delivery, Adebusoye called for full transparency in PHC financing, including public reporting of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), insurance-related funds and local government health allocations, to foster trust and attract greater citizen support.

He further emphasised the need for non-partisan and functional community accountability structures, including ward development committees and Local government health authorities, stating that competence and public interest should guide governance, not political affiliation.

On the campaign’s scope, Adebusoye explained that GoFundPHC was currently sub-national, beginning in Lagos State due to the significant investments already being made in PHC revitalisation.

He noted that the campaign could be scaled to other states based on its success and lessons learned.

On his part, Abiodun Ajayi, convener of the GoFundPHC campaign, said that lack of trust in PHC services remained a barrier to utilisation, with residents often bypassing primary facilities for secondary care.

He called on stakeholders to join the movement which aimed to ensure every Lagos State ward has a funded, functional and accountable PHC centre that meets residents’ healthcare needs.