The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate says the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, BHCPF, has made significant progress in its utilisation of resources in health facilities across the states and local government levels.
At the 9th BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee, MOC, meeting in Abuja, Professor Pate maintained that the funds would be closely monitored to ensure compliance and enhance access to quality healthcare for underserved populations.
“We call on all Nigerians to look into the utilisation of the fund and flag it, so that basic health care services can reach the poorest of the poor.”
“More than 10 million Nigerians have received services in Basic Health Care Provision Fund, BHCPF, facilities and more than 2.6 million Nigerians have been covered in the last one year and we are seeing increase in financial management.”
Also, the Director General, National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri announced updates on the inclusion of elderly citizens in health insurance through a GiveShipR mechanism designed for retirees.
Dr. Ohiri said the system would allow retirees to register at designated enrollment centers to ensure continuity in healthcare access without interruptions.
“We’re focusing on those already enrolled. Reaching retirement age shouldn’t disrupt their healthcare coverage. As people age, healthcare costs increase, requiring adjustments to premiums to reflect this reality,”
Dr. Ohiri further mentioned that the agency had made significant increase in health insurance coverage from 16.7 million to 19.2 million in less than a year which surpassed the presidential target for health insurance coverage in 2024.
“This is very significant because it represented a target that we thought would take us 4 years to get there. But we are getting there in one year. This is not the hard work of NHIA only, it is the hard work of everybody that has been in the system.
The Ministerial Oversight Committee of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, BHCPF, plays a pivotal role in ensuring the fund’s effective implementation, transparency, and accountability.
It also provides strategic oversight for the BHCPF, monitors fund disbursements and fosters alignment among its four gateways: National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, National Emergency Management and Ambulance Services, NEMSAS, and National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.
