Why Nigeria’s PHCs Need Full Revitalisation – Minister

ABUJA - Minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has said that a robust and resilient Primary Health Care (PHC) system is key to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Ehanire, who spoke at the opening ceremony of a two-day Primary Health Care summit with the theme: “Re-imagining PHC in Nigeria”  in Abuja, declared that the country needs to fully revitalise its PHCs to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“The PHC message itself is not new, because it is underpinned by the Alma Ata Declaration and has been amplified in Nigeria ever since the ministerial term of Ransome Kuti: but despite all that, it somehow has not found the required resonance, when it comes to implementation,” he said.

The minister noted that the summit, organized by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) was timely as the country must put in more efforts to ensure UHC for all its citizens.

“This is a call to recommit to strengthening our PHC system, and to emphasise that this administration is dedicated to making progress towards attainment of UHC and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria,” he said.

He said the summit aims to galvanise stakeholders to invest and collaboratively implement a PHC revitalisation strategy for the country as well as the launching of a historic programme to transform the under-resourced, weak PHC system in the country by leveraging the private sector, international agencies, and government collaborations.

Ehanire said there is an urgent need to ensure at least one functional PHC per ward, saying this should come with adequate human resources for health, comprising nurses, skilled birth attendants, and other staff for basic healthcare.