The Federal Government has announced plans to procure essential medicines to alleviate the rising costs of healthcare products and ensure better access to medical care for Nigerians.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja during the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day commemoration, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, highlighted the administration’s commitment to improving the health sector through strategic interventions.
Prof. Pate noted that the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain launched a year ago, aims to save lives and reduce the physical and financial burden of healthcare on Nigerians.
He stressed that increasing local production of pharmaceutical products and healthcare commodities would significantly lower costs and ensure their availability, supporting the UHC’s objective of reducing out-of-pocket expenses.
The minister revealed that 2 million more Nigerians have been added to the national health insurance scheme, increasing the total to 8 million insured individuals, representing a 14% rise as of the third quarter of 2024.
He noted that if the same progress had been achieved annually since the scheme’s inception in 2005, about 40 million Nigerians would have been covered by now.
Additionally, the government has disbursed ₦45.9 billion through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to help indigent and vulnerable Nigerians access free medical care at critical times.
Prof. Pate explained that equity funds provided by state governments are complementing these efforts to support the most disadvantaged citizens.
The minister also highlighted the success of a national campaign to repair obstetric fistulas, restoring dignity and quality of life to affected women.
“As of October 2024, 879 repairs had been successfully carried out across 19 centres in the country, with a target of 2,500 repairs before year-end,” he stated.
These efforts, according to Prof. Pate, demonstrate the government’s commitment to reducing the financial burden of healthcare services, strengthening Nigeria’s health system, and ensuring quality health coverage for all citizens.
