The Federal Government has admitted that progress in strengthening Nigeria’s health system is not keeping pace with the needs of over 230 million citizens, despite the employment of more than 37,000 health workers since 2023.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made this known on Wednesday while speaking at the APC Medical Council Health Roundtable Conference held in Abuja.
Salako said although the administration had implemented coordinated reforms under the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, significant gaps remain in maternal mortality, child survival and healthcare financing.
“But we must be honest that our progress is not happening at the pace to meet the health needs of 230+ million Nigerians. Too many mothers still die in childbirth, too many children don’t reach their fifth birthday, and too many families are impoverished by healthcare costs,” he said.
He disclosed that over 37,000 health workers had been employed in the last 30 months, with more than 75 per cent in clinical roles, as part of efforts to strengthen manpower capacity.
The minister also revealed that a health workforce migration policy had been developed to address the increasing movement of Nigerian health professionals abroad and improve retention.
According to him, additional measures such as expansion of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, improved immunisation coverage, deployment of Community Health Extension Workers and strengthening of laboratory networks are ongoing.
Salako urged stakeholders to renew their commitment to health sector reforms, stressing that building a resilient health system requires sustained investment, political will and accountability at both federal and state levels.
He assured that the government would continue to support multi-stakeholder coordination platforms to ensure transparent use of health resources.
