FG Deploys 774 Officers To Overhaul Primary Healthcare

The federal government has announced the nationwide deployment of 774 performance and financial management officers to strengthen accountability, efficiency, and service delivery within Nigeria’s primary healthcare (PHC) system.

The initiative was flagged off by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina.

Aina said the deployment aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health transformation agenda.

He further explained that the officers would be instrumental in tracking performance data, supporting community outreach, and ensuring the transparent and effective use of funds allocated through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).

“This is not just a policy; it is a transformational effort aimed at securing the future of healthcare in Nigeria, where young people not only participate but lead,” he said.

According to him, more than 60,700 health workers have been retrained under ongoing reforms, while PHC facilities are being revitalised with solar power, modern equipment, and upgraded infrastructure.

He added that even though the physical launch was conducted in the North Central region, the implementation is nationwide, covering all 36 states and the FCT. He further noted that the involvement of traditional institutions reinforces grassroots collaboration in driving healthcare reforms.

Also speaking, a health economist with the World Health Organisation (WHO), Francis Ukwuije, commended Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring value for money in health investments.

Ukwuije underscored five pillars for achieving value in healthcare, which include equity, efficiency, effectiveness, ethics, and dignity.

While noting that the appointment of the officers is a commendable step, Ukwuije urged more emphasis on ethics and dignity in care delivery and principles central to the values of the WHO.

A senior health specialist at the World Bank, Dr Onoriode Ezire, said, “PHCs are often underfunded and poorly managed, not because health workers lack commitment, but because they’re not trained as managers.”

FG Deploys 774 Officers To Overhaul Primary Healthcare is first published on The Whistler Newspaper