Healthcare Provision fund making Progress— Health Minister

Over 10 million Nigerians have received services through BHCPF facilities. Photo: Ifeoma Nwovu/Radio Nigeria

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has announced that the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) has made substantial progress in allocating resources to health facilities across states and local governments.

At the 9th BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting in Abuja, Professor Pate emphasized that the use of these funds would be closely monitored to ensure compliance and to improve access to quality healthcare for underserved populations.

“We urge all Nigerians to examine how the fund is being used and report issues so that basic healthcare services can reach the most disadvantaged individuals,” he stated.

“Over 10 million Nigerians have received services through BHCPF facilities, and more than 2.6 million have been covered in the past year. We are observing improvements in financial management.”

Additionally, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), announced updates on including elderly citizens in health insurance through a mechanism called GiveShipR, designed for retirees.

Dr. Ohiri explained that this system would enable retirees to register at designated enrollment centers, ensuring uninterrupted access to healthcare.

“We’re focusing on those already enrolled. Reaching retirement age should not disrupt their healthcare coverage. As individuals age, healthcare costs often rise, which may necessitate adjustments to premiums,” he said.

He further noted that the agency had increased health insurance coverage from 16.7 million to 19.2 million in less than a year, surpassing the presidential target for health insurance coverage in 2024.

“This is significant because it reflects a target we initially thought would take four years to achieve, yet we’re reaching it in just one year. This success is not solely due to the NHIA’s efforts; it represents the hard work of everyone involved in the system.”

The Ministerial Oversight Committee of the BHCPF plays a crucial role in ensuring the fund’s effective implementation, transparency, and accountability.

It also provides strategic oversight for the BHCPF, monitors fund disbursements, and fosters alignment among its four key gateways: the NHIA, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Emergency Management and Ambulance Services (NEMSAS), and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), as mandated by the National Health Act 2014, represented a critical step toward advancing the country’s progress in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

This fund was designed to guarantee fair and equal access to a fundamental set of healthcare services for vulnerable populations and to establish fully operational primary healthcare facilities in every political ward and functional secondary healthcare facilities in each state.

Reporting by Ifeoma Nwovu; Editing by Oluwaseyi Ajibade

https://radionigeria.gov.ng/2024/12/19/healthcare-provision-fund-making-progress-health-minister/