By Iyemah David
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has highlighted significant progress in implementing BHCPF 2.0 while intensifying efforts to revitalise primary healthcare centers across communities nationwide.
Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, shared these updates on Wednesday in Abuja during the 10th quarterly meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee for BHCPF.
Stakeholders used the event to discuss the progress of the programmes’ implementation.
Dr Aina announced that key milestones under BHCPF 2.0 had been achieved, including the finalisation of draft guidelines (pending legal review) and significant advancements in the development of the PHC Financial Management System (PHC-FMS).
“The beta version of this digital tool was successfully piloted in four states, Kaduna, Gombe, Rivers, and Ekiti, across multiple Local Government Areas (LGAs), enhancing real-time financial management and accountability at PHC facilities,” Aina said.
According to him, the recruitment process for Performance and Financial Management Officers (PFMOs) is nearly complete, with qualified candidates identified for 707 out of 774 LGAs.
He said this was to ensure strengthened financial oversight in healthcare facilities.
Dr Aina explained that the PHC-FMS allowed facility managers to create and submit quarterly business plans, record expenditures using a structured Chart of Accounts, and generate electronic financial reports.
“Furthermore, the implementation of a two-tier Disbursement for Facility Funding (DFF) system, based on service delivery performance.
“It aims to incentivise efficiency, with high-performing facilities receiving N800,000 per quarter, while lower-performing facilities receive N600,000.
“This tiering method, derived from service utilisation data, is designed to encourage competition and improve overall service delivery,” he added.
Dr Aina also highlighted ongoing efforts to revitalise PHCs through multiple funding channels, including government appropriations, private sector investments, and partnerships with donor agencies.
“With over 558 facilities upgraded in the last quarter, NPHCDA is currently assessing nearly 19,000 PHCs to prioritise future interventions, aiming to reach a target of 17,600 fully functional PHCs by 2027.
“Preliminary data from the first quarter of 2025 indicates that BHCPF-supported PHCs are outperforming non-supported facilities in key areas such as outpatient visits and immunization coverage.
“As we move forward, emphasis will be placed on finalising guidelines, expanding the PHC-FMS platform, and deploying all PFMOs to ensure transparency and accountability in fund utilisation,” Aina said.
