By Chioma Obinna

In a move to overhaul healthcare delivery at the grassroots, the Lagos State Government has unveiled a 10-year Primary Healthcare, PHC, Financing Plan, (2026–2036), targeting expansion of functional health centres, wider insurance coverage and improved outcomes across the state.

The plan, which formed the centrepiece of a two-day high-level retreat in Lekki, is designed to build a sustainable, accountable and well-funded primary healthcare system capable of meeting the needs of Lagos’ fast-growing population.

Speaking at the retreat, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said the initiative aligns with the state’s long-term development blueprint and will drive systemic transformation.

“Lagos is one of the few places in Africa with a 30-year development plan, and what we are doing here aligns directly with that vision,” he said.

Abayomi disclosed that although Lagos currently has about 340 primary healthcare centres, nearly half are in need of upgrades.

“Our goal is to increase this to 600 fully functional PHCs, properly equipped and staffed,” he stated.
He raised alarm over maternal and child health indices, noting: “We are not proud that about 430 women die per 100,000 live births. There should be no woman dying in childbirth in Lagos.”

On child nutrition, he added: “Three to four out of every ten children suffer from malnutrition. That is unacceptable.”

The commissioner also highlighted a critical manpower shortage in the health sector.

“We have about 7,000 doctors instead of the required 30,000. At the current rate, it could take hundreds of years to close that gap. We must improve working conditions, train more professionals and attract those who have left back into the system,” he said.

Abayomi further stressed the urgency of scaling up health insurance coverage from the current 5–6 per cent to 90 per cent.

“It will become abnormal to live in Lagos without health insurance,” he declared.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa, called for stronger financing mechanisms and transparency in fund utilisation.

“We must ensure that funds allocated to primary healthcare are not only adequate but also effectively managed and transparently deployed,” Mustafa said.

He noted that existing funding windows such as the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and social health insurance schemes offer opportunities to deepen access, particularly for vulnerable populations.

In her remarks, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sustained reforms.

“Achieving universal health coverage in Lagos requires strong partnerships and shared responsibility. This financing plan provides a strategic pathway for long-term impact,” she said.

Also speaking, Dr. Veronica Iwayemi underscored the need for a unified and coordinated approach to PHC delivery.

“If we want well-functioning healthcare centres, we must develop a unified programme for providers, infrastructure, technology and human resources,” she said.

“Execution is key. If we talk and don’t execute, what do we gain?” she added.

From a development partner perspective, a representative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Olakunle Daramola, emphasised aligning financing strategies with local government priorities.

“The integration of health priorities into local government development plans will help us clearly identify available resources and ensure better execution,” he said.

Providing deeper insight into the sector’s challenges, health economist Dr. Olamide Okulaja described Nigeria’s PHC system as weak and underfunded.

“Primary healthcare is an orphan—it has many fathers but no one takes full responsibility,” he said.
According to him, while about 70 per cent of Nigerians depend on PHC services, only 20 per cent of facilities are fully functional.

“We are spending so much to treat so little because we have ignored the level that matters most,” he added, noting that about 77 per cent of healthcare spending is out-of-pocket.

Also, Dr. Ibiwunmi Olokun introduced a performance-based PHC Leadership Challenge to strengthen accountability and governance.

“States are assessed across financing, governance, quality of care and data management. Lagos currently ranks third nationally,” she disclosed.

Stakeholders at the retreat, which drew participants from the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, agreed that the success of the 10-year plan will depend on strong political will, improved data systems, accountability and sustained investment.