The Federal Government has commenced the nationwide distribution of medical equipment and essential drugs to states across the federation in a renewed effort to strengthen the country’s primary healthcare system.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, who performed the flag-off in Abuja, describing the exercise as a “promise kept” under the ongoing reforms of the health sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Professor Pate, who cautioned against diversion of the items, said the intervention was central to revitalising the primary healthcare system.
The Minister recalled that government began the journey of reform two years ago, noting that the effort was yielding results. According to him, for too long primary healthcare centres were non-functional, forcing women to travel long distances for delivery, with many losing their lives in the process, while children missed out on life-saving vaccines.
He explained that the current initiative would bring quality health services closer to the people, regardless of location or status.
Professor Pate stressed that the distribution was not only about infrastructure, but also provision of medicines, equipment, and manpower needed to restore public trust in primary healthcare facilities.
He said the development would guarantee safer childbirth, access to vaccines, and treatment of common ailments such as malaria and hypertension at the community level.
The Minister commended the collaboration among agencies in the health sector as well as the cooperation of state governments, in line with the health compact signed with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a remark, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina, described the intervention as a landmark step in actualizing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda for the health sector.
Dr. Aina said over 500 revitalized Primary Health Centres across the 36 states and the FCT will benefit from the consignment of 56 categories of equipment and 80 essential medicines, valued at more than ₦23 billion, jointly funded by the Federal Government and development partners.
According to him, the distribution builds on earlier interventions, including maternal and neonatal commodities, cold-chain equipment, and solar power installations in over a thousand PHCs nationwide.
“This support reinforces our determination to crash maternal mortality. Nigerians are beginning to feel the touch of leadership, with over 14,000 women already benefiting from emergency obstetric care, including free caesarean sections and transportation vouchers,” Dr. Aina stated.
He further disclosed that over 69,000 frontline health workers have been trained, while states like Kaduna and Ekiti have already recruited additional skilled birth attendants and community health workers under the Federal Government’s Project Hope initiative.
Dr. Aina urged states to complement the Federal Government’s gesture by investing more in staffing and equipping their health facilities.
Earlier,The National Coordinator of the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII), Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, commended the federal government and NPHCDA team, describing the gesture as a demonstration of the administration’s resolve to safeguard the lives of women and children.
He reiterated his organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria government in ensuring health care service delivery in the country.
“We will ensure all these efforts reach the last mile and ensure all Nigerian women benefit from this noble initiative” he said
Reporting By HASSAN Hussain