The Federal Government (FG) has disbursed ₦20 billion to over 4,000 primary health centres in Northern Nigeria -- funding, impact, and what it means.
What the Federal Government Did
The Federal Government disbursed over ₦20 billion to support 4,362 primary health care centres in the 19 northern states and Abuja, through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) over the past two years.
This funding was meant to strengthen health care delivery in both rural and urban areas where services have been weak.
What Minister Pate Said
At the citizens engagement session in Kaduna by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate confirmed the disbursement.
He also shared that 274 projects were completed in 35 tertiary hospitals, serving more than 4.5 million outpatients and 1.6 million inpatients.
The Minister said that President Tinubu’s government is serious about improving health care in Nigeria and is already taking real action.
Why It Matters to Nigerians
Primary health care centres (PHCs) are the first place people go for treatment. They offer vaccinations, maternal care, and treatment for common illnesses.
Before this funding, many centres were broken, lacked staff, and ran out of medicines.
Now, with better facilities, trained workers, and medicine access, Nigerians can receive care near their homes without traveling long distances or spending too much money.
Effects on Patients
Thanks to the fund:
- People can now get quick treatment close by.
- Mothers and children can access care and vaccinations easily.
- Common illnesses like malaria or infections are treated faster.
- This reduces suffering, travel stress, and cost for many Nigerian families.
Effects on Tertiary Hospitals
The projects done in 35 tertiary hospitals led to:
Better equipment and improved facilities.Less pressure on these big hospitals because primary health centres are now handling more cases.
How the Fund Was Used
The ₦20 billion was used in many useful ways. Here’s how:
Many centres had leaking roofs, broken furniture, and bad surroundings. The money helped repair the buildings, fix damaged tools, and make the clinics cleaner and safer. Now, patients sit in clean rooms and receive better care.
2. Buying Medicines and Supplies:
Before now, patients were told there was no medicine. But with this funding, clinics now get regular supply of drugs. This means people can get treated without being sent away or told to buy drugs elsewhere.
3. Training Health Workers
Some health workers didn’t know how to use equipment or manage emergencies. The fund helped train them to treat people better, follow new methods, and handle emergency cases. This makes people feel safe and well cared for.
4. Building New Clinics in Communities:
5. Improving Maternal and Child Health:
Pregnant women and children were some of the most affected by poor health care. The fund helped provide better care during pregnancy, childbirth, and for newborns. Clinics now offer antenatal care, immunization, and postnatal care with confidence.
These changes make people trust their local clinics more and encourage them to visit whenever they are sick.
Related Updates in 2025
In the first half of 2025, the government also disbursed ₦32 billion to support over 8,000 primary health centres across the country.
In addition, ₦32.88 billion was approved for the third quarter of the year to continue this support.
This helps improve infrastructure, training, and services in every region.
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What the Government Wants to Achieve
Through this funding, the government wants to:
- Make sure Nigerians get easy access to health care.
- Reduce death from preventable sicknesses.
- Protect the health of mothers and children.
- Increase vaccinations and respond to disease outbreaks faster.
- Train health workers and provide modern tools.
- These steps will help Nigeria move toward its goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
Why You Should Care
This effort is important because:
Health care is now closer to people’s homes.It saves money and reduces stress from traveling far.
Mothers and children get early care and avoid serious health problems.
Communities stay healthy and people can work and live better lives.
What Happens Next
The government plans to:
Disburse more funds later in 2025 and in the coming years.Introduce a digital system to track health centre performance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is BHCPF?The Basic Health Care Provision Fund is a special fund created to support primary health care in Nigeria.
Who received the ₦20 billion?
A total of 4,362 primary health care centres in the 19 northern states and Abuja received support.
What kind of projects were done with the money?
Projects include building repairs, medicine supply, health worker training, and new clinic construction.
How many people got help from this program?
More than 4.5 million outpatients and 1.6 million inpatients were treated in upgraded facilities.
Are there more funds in 2025?
Yes. An additional ₦32 billion was disbursed earlier this year, and ₦32.88 billion has been approved for the third quarter.
The plan is to have 17,000 working primary health centres in Nigeria by 2027.
The ₦20 billion given to over 4,000 health centres in the North is a major step forward for Nigeria’s health care.
When we add the ₦32 billion and ₦32.88 billion disbursed this year, it’s clear that the government is serious about building a healthy Nigeria.
If the support continues, and if Nigerians also play their part by visiting health centres and taking care of their health, the country will be healthier, stronger, and more successful.
Stay healthy. Support your local clinic. Share this information with others.
Source: Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation – fmino.gov.ng