By Muhammad Amaan
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has approved a $1.2 billion (N1 trillion) performance-based financing initiative for state governments to strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) systems, recruit more health workers, and improve services.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this at the 2025 First Quarter Review Meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on PHC Delivery yesterday in Abuja.
He explained the initiative, along with year-on-year increases in health budget allocations, underscores the government’s commitment to improving the nation’s healthcare system.
He said the current administration had intensified its avowal to strengthen primary health care by training and retraining over 60,000 health workers, expanding PHC revitalisation efforts across states, and enhancing maternal and newborn health services.
Prof. Pate clarified that the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Initiative, under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focuses on reducing maternal deaths, providing free emergency treatment for obstetric complications, and eliminating financial barriers for women, especially in rural areas.
The minister stressed the need to encourage breastfeeding, maternal care, and early childhood nutrition, ensuring that “our children grow healthy and strong.”
Pate noted that the recent detection of Circulating Variant Polio Virus Type 2 (cVPV2) remains a major challenge.
He said: “Just last week, we visited four states, alongside the Chair of the Polio Oversight Board (POB), His Highness, the Chairman of the NTLC, and other key partners. During these visits, we identified several critical issues.
