By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

ABUJA — Nigeria’s effort to revamp its primary healthcare system has entered a new phase, with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) positioning ongoing facility upgrades as part of broader reforms emphasizing accountability, digitalisation, and sustainable financing.

At the agency’s quarterly media briefing in Abuja, Executive Director Dr. Muyi Aina said the country is moving beyond short-term interventions toward a coordinated reform agenda aimed at ensuring functional primary healthcare in every community.

He noted that the revitalisation of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) now reflects a deliberate strategy backed by presidential directives, increased federal funding, and renewed political commitment at both national and sub-national levels.

Dr. Aina announced that over 2,000 PHCs are fully revitalised, with more than 1,600 undergoing upgrades. The transformation goes beyond numbers, featuring facilities equipped with solar power, water systems, staff quarters, essential medicines, and direct community participation.

A central element of the reform is the revival of community engagement structures, such as Ward Development Committees, which are now taking active roles in oversight and service utilisation. “These structures are being reawakened as the backbone of PHC ownership and sustainability,” he said.

The briefing also highlighted reforms to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), previously criticised for weak accountability. The revised framework introduces direct facility financing, strengthened verification, and a performance-based payment system, with low-volume PHCs receiving ₦600,000 quarterly and high-volume centres ₦800,000. Thirty-one states have already been cleared for third-quarter disbursements following strict audits.

To address staffing gaps, the NPHCDA has recruited 1,909 community health extension workers and 1,155 skilled birth attendants, stabilising services in rural and underserved areas.

Digital innovations are also reshaping operations, including biometric attendance systems, a PHC management mobile app, real-time dashboards, and geo-mapping, which enhance monitoring of facility performance, drug distribution, and funding flows. “We now have visibility into areas previously reliant on manual reporting, strengthening service delivery and reducing leakages,” Dr. Aina explained.

On health outcomes, the agency reported progress in routine immunisation and disease control. Through the Identify, Enumerate and Vaccinate strategy, 7.4 million children were registered, 3.4 million vaccinated, and 163,000 zero-dose children reached. Nationwide campaigns delivered measles-rubella vaccines to 59 million children, oral polio vaccines to 39 million, HPV vaccines to 678,000 adolescent girls, alongside malaria treatment, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, and NTD services.

Dr. Aina noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of ₦68 billion for vaccine co-financing has prevented stock-outs and stabilised availability.

With infrastructure upgrades, digital tracking, strengthened financing, and enhanced community engagement, Dr. Aina described the current phase as a turning point for Nigeria’s health system, signaling a long-term commitment to ensuring every Nigerian has access to a functional, fully equipped PHC in their ward.