FG Defends Health Reforms, Says Over 37,000 Health Workers Recruited Since 2023

The Federal Government has defended its ongoing health sector reforms, saying it has recruited more than 37,000 health workers across federal health institutions and trained over 70,000 frontline health workers since 2023 to strengthen healthcare delivery in the country.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the government acknowledged the challenges facing the sector, including shortages of healthcare workers, inadequate infrastructure, poor financing, migration of skilled professionals and limited access to quality healthcare.

The ministry, however, insisted that these challenges are the reasons behind the far-reaching reforms currently being implemented to strengthen Nigeria’s health system.

According to the ministry, the Federal Government has approved Nigeria’s National Policy on Health Workforce Migration to address the growing exodus of healthcare professionals by improving workforce planning, strengthening retention strategies and promoting ethical recruitment practices.

The government said the policy is being supported by the National Health Workforce Registry and sustained investments in specialist training and workforce development.

On primary healthcare, the ministry said the revised Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF 2.0) is improving service delivery, accountability and financial protection for millions of Nigerians.

It disclosed that government has approved ₦32.9 billion under the revised framework to support more than 8,300 Primary Health Care Centres across the country, with plans underway to expand coverage to about 13,000 facilities nationwide.

According to the ministry, the reforms have already contributed to more than 80 million patient visits, while over 21 million vulnerable Nigerians have accessed healthcare through the Vulnerable Groups Health Insurance Fund.

The statement further noted that disease surveillance and outbreak preparedness are being strengthened through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) Gateway under the BHCPF as part of an integrated health security framework.

The ministry also highlighted efforts to improve the affordability and availability of medicines through the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), which aims to expand local pharmaceutical manufacturing.

“The objective is simple: strengthen local production, improve medicine security and make essential medicines more available and affordable for Nigerians,” the statement said.

The Federal Government added that its reforms extend beyond policy and include investments in health infrastructure, maternal and newborn health, emergency preparedness, digital health systems and improved accountability mechanisms.

It revealed that as of the 2025 Joint Annual Review, 84 per cent of the key performance indicators under the Presidential Health Sector Renewal Compact had been achieved, reflecting what it described as measurable progress in implementing Nigeria’s health sector reform agenda.

While acknowledging that significant challenges remain, the ministry stressed that lasting reform should be measured by “sustained action, transparent implementation and measurable results” rather than rhetoric.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, development partners and the private sector to build a stronger, more equitable and resilient health system.

“Our mandate remains clear: to save lives, reduce both physical and financial pain, and improve the health and wellbeing of all Nigerians,” the ministry stated.