By Laraba MUREY
The Federal Government has unveiled a series of strategic reforms aimed at building a resilient, equitable, and sustainable health system capable of delivering quality healthcare across Nigeria.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, announced the reforms on Thursday during the second day of the 2025 Joint Annual Review of Nigeria’s Health Sector in Abuja. “The reforms are designed to enhance access to care, improve coordination, and ensure greater protection for vulnerable Nigerians,” Salako said.
“Health system resilience is not built overnight; it requires sustained investment, political will, technical excellence, community ownership, and accountability.”
The government’s Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative focuses on governance, financing, service delivery, and community participation, aiming to transform how healthcare is planned, funded, implemented, and monitored nationwide.
“Through these reforms, we aim to accelerate Universal Health Coverage, improve national health security, and ensure efficient, affordable, and equitable services for all Nigerians,” the minister added.
Despite financial constraints, Salako highlighted measurable gains: maternal mortality declined from 576 to 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, under-five mortality dropped from 132 to 110 per 1,000, and skilled birth attendance rose from 43% to 53%.
Immunisation coverage increased from 31% to 39%, while modern contraceptive prevalence among married women rose to 20%, showing incremental progress driven by improved service delivery.
Since 2023, the government has recruited over 37,000 health workers and introduced incentives to reduce brain drain and improve retention in underserved communities. More than 500 infrastructure projects have been inaugurated, alongside the Power for Health initiative providing uninterrupted electricity in public health facilities.
The National Digital Health Architecture is being implemented to harmonize data systems, support transparency, and enable evidence-based planning.
Salako urged stronger participation from state and local governments, emphasizing that subnational ownership and accountability remain crucial to sustaining reforms.
He also called on donors and partners to align support with national priorities, particularly in maternal health, immunisation, disease control, and community-level healthcare.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, commended states and partners for their contributions and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian suffers financial hardship while accessing essential healthcare services.
“The administration remains determined to deliver lasting improvements across the healthcare landscape,” Pate said.
The Joint Annual Review brought together policymakers, civil society groups, professional bodies, and state health ministry representatives to assess sector performance and set priorities for 2026.
