The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by prioritising equitable healthcare access and reducing financial hardship for citizens.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, stated this at a press briefing to mark the 2024 Universal Health Coverage Day, themed: “Health on the House Government.” in Abuja.
Reflecting on the strides made since the launch of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) a year ago, the minister highlighted key achievements aimed at addressing longstanding challenges in the country’s health sector.
He outlined the challenges confronting the sector, including inadequate financing, poor governance, fragmented coordination, and inefficiencies in development assistance.
To address these, Pate said that the government has implemented a four-pillar Health Sector Strategic Blueprint aimed at strengthening governance, improving health outcomes, unlocking the healthcare value chain, and bolstering health security and resilience.
He said that the key initiatives include the Presidential Initiative to unlock the healthcare value chain, which seeks to increase domestic production of health products, enhance job creation, and reduce outbound medical tourism.
