The Federal Government has released ₦32.9 billion through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to boost primary healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
This marks the third round of disbursements in 2025, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, who made the announcement in a statement titled “The Red Letter.”
Prof. Pate said the funds have already begun reaching primary healthcare facilities across the country and urged Nigerians to ensure transparency and accountability in their utilisation.
“This money is not sitting in Abuja. It has already begun its journey into the commercial bank accounts of primary health care facilities in every ward across Nigeria,” he stated.
“It is your clinic’s money. It is your community’s chance. It is your country’s promise.”
The minister explained that the fund aims to support basic health services, strengthen infrastructure, and provide resources for emergency treatment in health facilities nationwide.
He noted that the government is prioritising community ownership and oversight to ensure the funds make a tangible impact at the grassroots.
“The health committee in your ward, your traditional leaders, your women’s and youth groups, your faith-based organisations—all of you are meant to sit together, decide together, and spend together on what will make your facility stronger, safer, and more ready to serve,” Pate said.
While stressing that the BHCPF represents Nigeria’s “renewed hope in health,” the minister lamented that many communities fail to monitor how funds are used, allowing corruption and mismanagement to thrive.
“Too often, we have observed that communities stand aside. Our members and institutions do not ask how the money is used or if it reaches the people it was meant for. When that happens, silence becomes a loss,” he warned.
Pate described the latest disbursement as a call to action, urging citizens to engage with local health committees, demand accountability, and ensure the funds lead to improved services such as safe deliveries, better equipment, and access to essential medicines.
“Each naira in this ₦32.9 billion is a seed. When you nurture it with vigilance and pride, it grows into medicine, safe births, better infrastructure, and lives saved. When you neglect it, it withers into waste,” he said.
The minister concluded by emphasising collective responsibility in safeguarding public health funding, saying, “Together, we plan. Together, we spend. Together, we protect life.”
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund, established under the National Health Act, is designed to provide sustainable financing for primary healthcare and ensure that every Nigerian, especially in rural communities, has access to quality basic health services.
