Nigeria Disburses ₦32.9 Billion To Primary Health Centres, Urges Citizens To Monitor Spending

The Federal Government has announced the release of ₦32.9 billion under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to strengthen primary health care services across the country.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammed Ali Pate, made the disclosure in a nationwide message tagged “The Red Letter: A National Call to Protect Our Health” on X on Wednesday.

According to the Minister, the funds have already been disbursed directly to primary health care facilities across all wards in Nigeria. “This money is not sitting in Abuja. It has already begun its journey into the commercial bank accounts of primary health care facilities in every ward across Nigeria,” he said.

Describing the disbursement as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, Pate emphasised that the funds were meant to empower communities and promote accountability. “It is your clinic’s money. It is your community’s chance. It is your country’s promise,” he stated.

He explained that every facility now has “the power to plan and spend, not alone, but together with the community it serves,” urging citizens to get involved in monitoring how the funds are utilised.

“The health committee in your ward, your traditional leaders, your women’s and youth groups, your faith-based organisations, all of you are meant to sit together, decide together, and spend together on what will make your facility stronger, safer, and more ready to serve,” Pate said.

Highlighting the need for transparency and vigilance, the Minister warned that community silence could lead to mismanagement. 

“Too often, we have observed that communities stand aside. Our community members and institutions do not ask how the money is used, or if it reaches the people it was meant for. When that happens, silence becomes a loss.”

Calling for civic participation, Pate urged Nigerians to take ownership of their local health centres. “Stand up and take ownership. Go to your health facility. Join the committee. Review the plan. Demand openness. Celebrate progress. And above all, make sure the fund truly protects the health of your people,” he appealed.

The Minister described the ₦32.9 billion as “a seed” that could yield life-saving results if well managed. “Each Naira in this ₦32.9 billion is a seed. When you nurture it with vigilance and pride, it grows into medicine, safe births, better infrastructure, and lives saved. When you neglect it, it withers into waste,” he said.

Pate concluded with a renewed call for collective responsibility in safeguarding public health resources. “Let this Red Letter reach every community, every ward, and every home. Let it remind us that the health of Nigeria lives in the hands of Nigerians. Together, we plan. Together, we spend. Together, we protect life.”

The Red Letter campaign reflects the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to transparency, community participation, and shared responsibility in strengthening Nigeria’s health system.

Faridah Abdulkadiri