FG battles health backlash, says 37,000 workers hired

Nigeria's Federal Government is actively defending its healthcare reform efforts in the face of mounting public criticism regarding the state of the nation's health system. The government revealed that it has recruited more than 37,000 health workers across federal health institutions since 2023. Additionally, over 70,000 frontline health workers have received nationwide training as part of initiatives to combat manpower shortages, enhance service delivery, and respond to public concerns. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare acknowledged that workforce shortages, inadequate infrastructure, rising treatment costs, and the migration of skilled professionals remain significant challenges. These issues, the ministry stated, are precisely why the government is implementing "far-reaching reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s health system." To combat the worsening "brain drain," the government has approved Nigeria's National Policy on Health Workforce Migration. This policy aims to improve professional retention, strengthen workforce planning, and ensure ethical recruitment practices. At the primary healthcare level, N32.9 billion has been released under the revised Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF 2.0). This funding supports over 8,300 Primary Health Care Centres, with plans to expand this to approximately 13,000 facilities nationwide. The intervention has reportedly led to over 80 million patient visits, and more than 21 million vulnerable Nigerians have accessed healthcare through the Vulnerable Groups Health Insurance Fund. The government is also working to reduce medicine costs and improve availability by boosting local pharmaceutical production through the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC). The objective is to strengthen local production, enhance medicine security, and make essential medicines more accessible and affordable. Investments in maternal and newborn health, emergency preparedness, disease surveillance, and digital health systems are also highlighted as part of the broader reforms. The ministry reported that 84 percent of key performance indicators under the Presidential Health Sector Renewal Compact have been achieved as of the 2025 Joint Annual Review. While admitting the health sector faces immense pressure, the government insists that lasting reform is measured by "sustained action, transparent implementation and measurable results," not just rhetoric.

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These are real challenges. They are also the very reasons the Federal Government is implementing far-reaching reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s health system.