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 Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII). 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 Renewal Investment Initiative is a strategic blueprint with sector-wide efforts to improve population health outcomes through the primary health care system and strengthen reproductive, maternal and child health services in the country.
Primary health care is as fundamental as the substructure of a building in building a resilient, integrated health system. 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 will increase the number of primary health care centers (PHCs) functioning across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from 8,809 to more than 17,000 by 2027; We set out to increase the number of health workers by training 120,000 frontline health workers over 16 months. To meet the demand created by new facilities, we will double the enrollment capacity of accredited nursing and midwifery institutions, and a paid volunteer youth corps of social responsibility officers will oversee the functioning and financial health of these primary health care centers. to be established.
Additionally, the administration sought to address high health costs and strengthen access to health services by redesigning the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). 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.
Provision of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and pediatric health services
Progressive outcomes in the delivery of reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and pediatric health services include:
• Extended Midwifery Services System (eMSS) redesigned across four key areas;
• Quantification of completed goods (quantification is estimating the quantity and cost of products needed for a particular medical program (or service) and when to deliver the products to ensure uninterrupted supply to the program. (This is the process of determining
• Service delivery models for traditional midwife referral and midwifery support are being developed.
• Deployment of 730 skilled midwives to 760 Level 1 facilities (using eMSS as an interim solution for the first 6 months)
• Deployment of 16 priority supplies to 600 Level 2 facilities
Primary Healthcare Revitalization and Basic Healthcare Delivery Fund
• 6,300 medical facilities found to be poorly functioning
• 2,000 healthcare facilities certified as high performing.
• 820 primary health care centers identified at the federal level.
• 3,500 primary health centers identified at state level.
• 540 work plans and BOQs submitted
• Guidelines under consideration by MOC.
• Identify PFMO recruitment agency
• Finalize performance management KPIs and methodology.
• PHC Capability Dashboard is deployed to NPHCDA and waiting for data updates
• Public view dashboard showing facilities under development and activation status.
sexual and reproductive health
• 8,421 healthcare facilities evaluated in 36+1 states
• Prioritizing and costing the procurement and installation of supplies in the facility.
• Developing a sustainability plan for product distribution
Data and digitization
• The Facility Capability Dashboard has been completed and operationalized from NPHCDA and is currently awaiting initial data updates.
• A public platform that provides a broad access view to ongoing PHC functions.
• Elaboration of citizen participation mechanisms is underway.
Human resources for health
• Percentage of trained health workers: 29,280 frontline health workers and 4,153 non-frontline health workers. Total of 33,433 healthcare workers
• Training underway in Kebbi, Jigawa and Lagos states.
• The remaining four states will begin training next week.
Routine immunizations and polio
• 89 districts launch IEV against polio: expansion plans in place
• Synchronized nOPV2 campaign scheduled for October 25th and November 22nd.
• Reach 20 states and 38 million eligible children.
community health program
• Strategy decided to create jobs for 125,000 community health workers
• Solid commitment from donors to support recruitment, attraction, and training.
• Syndication with states has begun to gain buy-in.
• E-learning concept development begins
Enhancement of campaign
• Initiated a diagnostic process to streamline campaigns to increase efficiency and inclusivity for diverse audiences.
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 (IDA) and is highly concessional, with zero interest, a 10-year moratorium and a 30-year repayment plan.
The bank said the funds will be used to strengthen human capital through improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
“The World Bank today announced a total of 1.5 billion Approved three $70 million projects: Dam Safety and Irrigation. The new financing includes $500 million for Addressing Governance Issues Constraining Education and Health Delivery (HOPE-GOV), $570 million for the Primary Health Care Delivery Strengthening Program (HOPE-PHC), and Nigeria’s Sustainable Includes $500 million for major power and irrigation projects. (spin). Together, the HOPE-GOV and HOPE-PHC programs will help the Nigerian government improve service delivery in the 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 tireless efforts in this field have had a significant impact on the country’s human capital index.
Mr. Fredrick Nwabufo is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement
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