By Admin
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, says the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making bold strides to ensure every Nigerian has access to affordable and high-quality healthcare.
Dr. Aina gave the assurance in Abuja while speaking at the National Flag-off of Performance and Financial Management Officers for the North Central Zone.
He stated that President Tinubu’s health sector reforms are centered on improving access, quality, and affordability of essential health services across the country.
“The commitment of President Tinubu’s administration is clear to provide access to essential health services that are of high quality and at low cost to Nigerians,” Dr. Aina emphasized.
He outlined key components of the ongoing reform which include increased funding through four distinct gateways of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), channelled via the states, local governments, and directly to primary healthcare facilities.
Dr. Aina revealed that over 16,700 health workers have been recruited in recent months to bridge the manpower gap in health facilities nationwide.
In addition to human resource development, the NPHCDA boss highlighted efforts in revitalizing health infrastructure ranging from the procurement and deployment of medical commodities to the installation of solar power and modern medical equipment in primary health centres.
“We are improving facilities, equipping them with solar power and modern infrastructure, and ensuring that commodities are available and accessible,” he said.
Dr. Aina also hinted that one of the major implementation phases of the reform is currently ongoing and is expected to be concluded within the next two weeks.
According to Dr. Aina the Federal Government hopes to build a resilient primary health care system capable of delivering universal health coverage for all Nigerians.
One the Key note speaker at the event, and A senior Health Specialist with the World Bank, Dr. Onoriode Ezire, who reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s primary healthcare system through improved financial accountability emphasized the critical role of the newly (PFMO) officers in ensuring the success of primary healthcare delivery across the country.
Dr. Ezire said “The success of this initiative rests squarely on the shoulders of these officers. They are not just financial managers; they are the backbone of performance-based healthcare financing at the grassroots.”
He urged the officers to demonstrate integrity, diligence, and a strong sense of responsibility in carrying out their duties, noting that their performance would significantly influence Nigeria’s ability to meet its universal health coverage goals.
“Moving forward, we hope they will commit fully to this responsibility and become true ambassadors of the NPHCDA,”
According to him the flag-off marks a significant milestone in the NPHCDA’s ongoing efforts to reform financial practices in the health sector, enhance transparency, and improve service delivery at the primary level.
Our Correspondent reports that stakeholders from across the health and financial sectors were present at the ceremony, reaffirming their support for the initiative and its long-term impact on national health outcomes.
