FG pledges to revitalise PHCs to drive universal health coverage
Nigeria's federal government is prioritizing the revitalization of Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs) nationwide to achieve universal health coverage. Minister Salako highlighted the current state of PHCs, citing insufficient workforce numbers (Doctor-to-Population ratio of 1:5,000 and Nurse-to-Population ratio of 1:2,000), infrastructure gaps, and workforce distribution inequities. Despite progress in governance, facility upgrades (quality score improvements from 42% to 67%) and RMNCH services (increased skilled birth attendance and immunization coverage), Nigeria still faces a disproportionate share of global maternal and child deaths. The government plans to address these challenges through workforce deployment, facility improvements, stronger referral systems, and expansion of the national health insurance scheme, aiming for a resilient PHC system with motivated workers and well-equipped facilities.
