The federal government has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at transforming Nigeria’s healthcare sector through the National Health Sector Renewal Initiative (NHSRII) and the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint 2024-2027. These initiatives are designed to address long-standing systemic issues that have hampered the nation’s healthcare system.
Muntaqa Sadiq, National Coordinator of the Sector-Wide Coordinating Office – T Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU), shared details of the new strategy in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja. He explained that the framework focuses on critical issues such as inadequate infrastructure, shortages of healthcare professionals, and insufficient funding.
“This initiative comes in response to alarming reports that highlight Nigeria’s lagging healthcare standards. Notably, 50% of X-ray machines in government hospitals are non-functional, and the country has only 23.3 doctors per 100,000 people, far below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline of 100 doctors per 100,000,” Mr. Sadiq stated.
He stressed that the government is committed to addressing these structural and systemic challenges through strategic partnerships with the private sector and development agencies. At the heart of NHSRII is the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), a framework designed to enhance coordination between federal, state, and local governments, while engaging development partners and the private sector.
The SWAp is built on the principle of “One Plan, One Budget, One Report, and One Conversation,” which aims to align all stakeholders toward achieving shared healthcare priorities. According to Mr. Sadiq, this cohesive approach ensures that no sector is left behind in Nigeria’s quest to meet its healthcare goals.
Key actions under the initiative include expanding primary healthcare centers (PHCs) across the country and ensuring that every local government area (LGA) has at least one comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care (CEmONC) facility. The blueprint also targets inefficiencies in the health supply chain, which have resulted in a 41% stock-out rate for family planning commodities. Streamlining procurement systems is expected to reduce stock-outs and improve the supply of essential medicines.
Addressing the acute shortage of healthcare professionals is a top priority in the blueprint. It includes plans to improve training for healthcare workers using digital solutions and expand partnerships with the private sector to increase the production of healthcare personnel. Additionally, the government plans to rehabilitate 17,600 PHCs and upgrade them with climate-resilient infrastructure, supported by a $1.57 billion facility from the World Bank. These funds will help equip health facilities, particularly in rural areas, with solar energy solutions and other climate-adaptive technologies.
The blueprint also emphasizes the crucial role of the private sector in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system. Private entities are expected to contribute by expanding digital health services, improving data reporting, and enhancing local pharmaceutical production.
Another significant component of the initiative is expanding health insurance coverage. The blueprint includes innovative mechanisms like Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) to provide financial protection for the most vulnerable populations. The Health Sector Strategic Blueprint 2024-2027 identifies 13 priority areas, including improving maternal, newborn, and child health, accelerating immunization programmes, and reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
In addition to federal efforts, state governments have committed to supporting these strategies through policy actions. One such action is their participation in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), which allocates 1% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to primary healthcare services.
With this strategic blueprint, the federal government aims to significantly improve health outcomes across the country by addressing systemic challenges and ensuring a coordinated, well-funded, and efficient healthcare system that benefits all Nigerians.
