Posted on: Wed 08-05-2019

Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Aspiration Gets a Boost: HUWE to provide care for 100M Nigerians as Honourable Minister of Health and the Executive Governor, State of Osun, Kick-Started the National Implementation of the Basic Health care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the State

With the flag off of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Osogbo, State of Osun last Friday the Buhari administration has begun the delivery of the largest health care reform in Africa, which guarantees essential health services to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians. Through the BHCPF, the Federal Government demonstrates a strong commitment to the financing and delivery of primary health care services in Nigeria.

The program design employs a unique implementation approach backed by the 2014 National Health Act. The government will purchase and reimburse both public and private facilities for delivering an explicit and guaranteed package of services. These services include Ante-Natal Care, Delivery (including Caesarean Section), Family Planning, and treatment of childhood illnesses, treatment of malaria and screening and referral of Non-Communicable Diseases. In addition, publicly owned facilities will receive a defined amount of money at the beginning of every month to enable them improve the quality of services.

By transferring funds directly from the Central Bank through implementing agencies at the Federal and State levels to accredited public and private primary health facilities where services are rendered, the BHCPF governance arrangement ensures accountability and probity. The quality of improvement in care provided will be measured using scorecards. Furthermore, a performance and data management system underpinned by a robust ICT framework will be developed to enable State and Federal actors track performance.

Several development partners including the World Bank through the Global Financing Facility, BMGF, USAID and DFID support the funding and implementation of the BHCPF.

20 States and the FCT have indicated interest in partaking in the program, which will commence immediately this May. These States include: Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ebony, Ekiti, Imo, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Yobe. It is expected that over 100m Nigerians will benefit from the program in the first two years of implementation.

The government and people of the State of Osun heartily congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on this unprecedented achievement.

Announcer: Government of the State of Osun

---

---