The health sector is one of the policy dynamos and winning axes of the Tinubu administration. The reforms initiated to upskill the workforce, strengthen structural integrity, upgrade infrastructure, provide essential equipment and ensure efficiency in healthcare delivery are crystallizing with clear results. In December 2023, President Bola Tinubu announced the Nigeria Health Sector Revitalization Investment Initiative. The program is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Human Services under the Coordinating Minister of Health and Human Services, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate.
The Nigeria Health Sector Innovation Investment Initiative is a strategic blueprint with sector-wide tips to improve population health outcomes through the primary health system and strengthen reproductive, maternal and child health services in the country. Primary health care is as fundamental to building a resilient, integrated health system as the basic structure of a building. To that end, the Tinubu administration is undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of infrastructure and equipment, as well as retraining of frontline health workers.
Specifically, the administration plans to increase the number of primary health care centers functioning in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory from 8,809 to more than 17,600 by 2027, with 120,000 new patients in 16 months. These primary health centers will train front-line health workers, increase the enrollment capacity of certified nurse health workers, and double the number of midwifery institutions to meet the demand created by new facilities. Establish a paid volunteer youth corps of social responsibility officers to oversee the functioning and financial health of the company.
Additionally, the administration sought to address high health costs and strengthen access to health services by redesigning the Basic Health Care Delivery Fund. The BHCPF is a fundamental element of a sector-wide approach, allowing pooling and non-pooling of funds to advance the national primary health care system.
So far, policy intentions and actions have yielded positive results.
Here are the results:
health human resources
The federal government’s goal is to train 120,000 health workers. 40,240 health workers have been trained so far, including frontline health workers comprising doctors, nurses, midwives, community health extension workers and junior CHEWs who provide clinical services in government-owned PHCs. The total number of people is 36,087.
Additionally, 24 states and the FCT have completed the first phase of training. The remaining states are expected to complete the first phase of training in the coming months.
Meanwhile, discussions continue with states to accelerate the recruitment of health workers to fill capacity gaps in PHCs, starting with accelerating the transition of volunteers to full-time salaried staff.
In addition, transitioned volunteers and newly hired health workers will be trained in the second phase.
To ensure sustained and continuous development, an e-learning program has been developed and implemented.
community health program
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency works with the federal Department of Health and Human Services, state governments, and partners to bring essential health services to remote and underserved communities to improve health outcomes. Redesigning a growing community health program.
The community health program will also create 126,000 jobs for community health workers.
Services include reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition, and routine immunizations. There is also a need for disease surveillance such as non-communicable diseases, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. This also includes health data collection, risk communication, community engagement, and health insurance.
Providing reproductive medicine, maternal and child health, and newborn health services
Progressive outcomes in the delivery of reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and pediatric health services include:
Expansion of midwifery service system. Redesigned across four key areas. The system expanded and hired skilled midwives to strengthen maternal and child health care across the country. Using eMSS as an interim solution, 730 skilled midwives will be deployed to priority PHC facilities for the first six months.
In addition, regarding joint procurement, RMNCH products were quantified. This enables the establishment of a reliable end-to-end system seed stock that ensures regular availability and visibility of MNCH goods in PHC facilities.
Traditional midwife referral and midwifery support service delivery models were also developed to create demand and provide maternal and child health services to hard-to-reach communities.
Additionally, service readiness assessments were conducted across 1,508 BHCPF health facilities to identify service gaps and define necessary interventions to ensure all maternal and reproductive health services are provided. . These services include family planning, postnatal and post-miscarriage care, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, and gender-based violence services.
A draft framework for sustainable product distribution is under development.
Revitalizing primary health care
A total of 8,421 health facilities across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory were assessed. Among them, 1,786 primary health care centers (PHCs) with Level 2 functionality were identified, which are fully equipped to provide safe delivery services to pregnant women 24/7. In addition, 5,447 level 1 functional PHCs and 1,189 partially functional PHCs were identified. Although these facilities lack at least one key element, they can still provide basic services such as prenatal care and routine immunizations.
Revitalization efforts have begun to increase the number of functional medical facilities in the country. The federal government has identified 577 PHCs for revitalization, while state governments are targeting 2,737 centers to achieve similar assured benefits. We are also developing a public dashboard to track facility status and ongoing revitalization efforts.
Basic Healthcare Delivery Fund 2.0
A new set of guidelines is currently being considered by a ministerial oversight committee to improve basic health care in the country.
With BHCPF 2.0, more facilities will receive direct facility funding and this DFF will increase from N300k to N600k to N800k per quarter.
Performance and financial management leaders are also engaged in ensuring transparency and improving the quality of PHC services by tracking financial and operational activities to support data-based decision-making. Masu.
Data and digitization
NPHCDA has developed a comprehensive three-year digitalization agenda that includes facility capabilities and readiness, supply chain management, financial management, and regional health information systems.
The Facility Capability Dashboard, developed and operated by NPHCDA, is currently awaiting its first data update.
The digital platform serves as a public platform that provides a broad access view of ongoing PHC functions. It also provides details of ongoing public participation mechanisms.
Routine immunizations and polio
To improve the quality of polio campaigns and data usage, the ‘Identify, Enumerate, Vaccinate’ strategy has been launched in 89 districts and expansion plans are underway.
Additionally, a synchronized campaign for the new type 2 oral polio vaccine is scheduled for October 25 and November 22, aiming to reach 38 million children across 20 states.
HPV vaccination is being rolled out nationwide, with 12,345,572 girls vaccinated across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Strengthening health campaigns
To strengthen health campaigns, the government has launched a diagnostic process to streamline campaigns, increasing efficiency and inclusion for diverse audiences.
Nigeria joined the Cooperative Active Strategy as one of two pilot countries, with the aim of effectively implementing health campaigns and strengthening the country’s health system. As a result, a technical working group was established tasked with aligning the CAS recommendations with Nigeria’s priorities and overseeing their implementation.
The World Bank’s recent approval of $1.57 billion to support Nigeria’s health sector takes into account health initiatives across the sector. The World Bank loan comes from the International Development Association and is highly concessional, with zero interest, a 10-year moratorium and a 30-year repayment plan. The fund will strengthen the human capital of women, children and adolescents through improved health, the bank said.
“The World Bank today announced a total of $1.57 billion to support the Government of Nigeria in strengthening human capital through improving the health of women, children and youth, and building resilience to the impacts of climate change, including floods and droughts. Approved three projects to improve dam safety and irrigation. The new funding includes $500 million to address governance issues constraining education and health care delivery, known as HOPE-GOV. , $570 million for the Primary Health Care Delivery Enhancement Program, and $500 million for the HOPE-PHC, Nigeria Sustainable Power and Irrigation Project. It will help the government improve service delivery in basic education and primary health care sectors, which are critical to improving Nigeria’s human capital outcomes,” the bank said in a statement.
President Tinubu understands that health is not just the absence of disease, but the embodiment of physical, mental and social well-being. Therefore, his constant efforts in this field will have a huge impact on the human capital index of the country.
Mr. Fredrick Nwabufo is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement
