Since the program’s launch in 2019, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has distributed N63 billion through the National Health Insurance Authority to participants in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
The aforementioned information was revealed on Wednesday during a media engagement in Abuja, by a representative of NHIA Director General Dr. Kelechi Ohiri.
State Social Insurance Agencies have been formed in all 36 states, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, according to the NHIA.
According to the government, BHCPF benefits about 160,000 persons and is currently provided directly to 8,200 facilities nationwide. 15% of the population is currently utilising the system nationwide.
“So far, we have disbursed N63bn since inception which is 2019. Also, 8200 facilities have benefited from direct disbursement versus 7800 when we started. Also, 160 000 citizens have access to benefit from BHCPF,” he stated.
“All 36 states (plus FCT) have established state Social Insurance Agencies,” he added.
The NHIA added that in order to direct BHCPF’s financial activities, it has created a framework for financial reporting.
The National Health Act of Nigeria includes the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, which was created to guarantee that all Nigerians, especially the impoverished and vulnerable, have access to basic healthcare services.
Donor contributions and the federal government’s combined earnings are the fund’s main sources of funding.
It seeks to enhance healthcare delivery, fortify the nation’s healthcare system, and broaden nationwide access to critical health services.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency oversees the allocation of funds to Primary Health Care centres to improve infrastructure, equipment, and human resources.
The NHIA manages a health insurance program designed to provide financial risk protection by paying for beneficiaries’ basic healthcare services.
Another point of contact is the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee, which guarantees that all Nigerians have access to emergency medical services by offering prompt medical attention and treatment in case of medical emergencies.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control also works to improve the nation’s ability to stop, identify, and treat diseases and public health emergencies.
During the occasion, Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, the National Coordinator of the Sector-Wide Approach—an initiative launched by the federal and state governments to expedite the nation’s health sector—discussed the insufficiency and uneven funding of Nigeria’s health sector.
“Currently, only 3 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product is allocated to healthcare, with just 40-69 per cent of the federal budget for health being utilised effectively,” he said.
He continued by saying that the goal of SWAp is to improve efficiency and openness in the distribution and use of funding.
“The reliability and use of health data in Nigeria have been severely compromised, with reports showing discrepancies such as a 159.7% DPT3 immunisation rate reported by Nigeria versus 55% from a World Health Organisation survey,” Umar-Sadiq said in criticism of the nation’s health data quality.
However, he stated that Nigeria hopes to create a unified, transparent, and accountable health care sector that functions as a coordinated unit across all levels, alongside our development partners, “By 2027 through a better-coordinated health sector that harnesses the frontline efforts of our local governments, the governance and execution strengths of our states, and the policy stewardship of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.”
