In an effort to improve the accessibility and quality of healthcare service in the country, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) recently announced its intentions to revitalize primary health facilities by 2024. Dr. Muyi Aina, the Executive Director of NPHCDA, shared this exciting news during a strategic gathering of the agency held in Abuja over the weekend. He once again emphasized the dedication to achieving transformative objectives that focus on enhancing facilities and healthcare service provision for every citizen of Nigeria, especially in rural and underserved regions.
Aina mentioned that the main goal of this initiative is to tackle the urgent requirement for top-notch primary healthcare and ensure fair and equal access to crucial medical services across the entire country. He further mentioned that, with the guidance of President Bola Tinubu and the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, the agency has established four fundamental principles to steer its operations. The first foundation revolves around the management of the healthcare sector, encompassing the enhancement of healthcare organizations to effectively comply with the National Health Act.
Plans have been formulated to examine the objectives.
The secondary foundation strives to guarantee equal and superior availability of healthcare services to every Nigerian individual. While the third foundation involves the enhancement of healthcare services and supply management, the fourth pillar emphasizes the assurance of health Security. The NPHCDA has taken significant steps by conducting thorough evaluations and involving various stakeholders to ascertain the path it should embark upon. He explained that the agency had formulated a plan to examine the objectives in line with the plan.
He further explained that a key element of this strategy involved allocating resources towards the establishment of effective primary health centers. At present, a significant number of 8,300 centers are being financially supported through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. According to his words, the intention of the agency is to enhance its facility count to guarantee the availability of crucial manpower, resources, and Infrastructure. Additionally, the plan concentrates on generating, supplying, and retaining frontline medical personnel.
Various measures will be implemented to ensure transparency.
Collaboratively, the government will cooperate with NPHCDA, states, and the Federal Ministry of Health to enhance the productivity, retention, and contentment of healthcare workers. The NPHCDA’s plan encompasses modifications to how the BHPF is allocated, aiming to promote excellence and provide health facilities with greater freedom in fund utilization. In addition, the agency is set to join forces with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to bolster health safety measures and effectively tackle outbreaks and emergencies.
Moreover, the NPHCDA intends to effectuate these strategies by enacting reforms that will enhance its organization and collaboration with states and partners, according to Aina. He explained that to ensure transparency and accountability, various measures will be implemented, including regular updates to Nigerians regarding progress and establishing effective channels of communication for constructive feedback. According to him, the agency’s overarching goal is to guarantee adequate healthcare access for every Nigerian, aiming to decrease both mortality rates and disease while enhancing the general health conditions across the nation.
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Acting upon its mandate, the NPHCDA has been actively engaging in actions towards enhancing the provision of quality healthcare services to the people, working towards its objectives. These include aiding the National Health Policy in its efforts to promote the growth of Primary Health Care (PHC), providing guidance and aid in the strategic planning, management, and execution of PHC initiatives, and sourcing financial and non-financial resources from domestic and foreign sectors to propel the advancement of PHC.
