By Idris Umar, Zaria The Federal Government has launched the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0 to strengthen healthcare service...
By Idris Umar, Zaria
The Federal Government has launched the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0 to strengthen healthcare service delivery and improve accountability mechanisms across the North-West region.
The initiative, which formally began with the onboarding of State Oversight Committees (SOCs) in the zone, was announced by the Chairperson of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC), Dr. Oreshoremi Ogbe, during a regional workshop held at R & K Palace Hotel, Zaria, Kaduna State.
Dr. Ogbe explained that the revised BHCPF Guideline 2.0, approved by the Minister of Health, aims to address previous implementation gaps and ensure more effective management of health sector priorities at the state level. This was contained in a statement issued at the end of the event and made available to journalists in Zaria.
According to her, the SOCs—chaired by State Commissioners for Health—comprise representatives from state ministries of finance, primary health care agencies, and development partners. She said the onboarding exercise would deepen the committees’ understanding of their expanded roles under the new guidelines, emphasizing transparency and accountability in the fund’s administration.
“We are here to listen to the SOCs, understand the challenges they face, and jointly proffer solutions so that the reforms can deliver the intended benefits,” Dr. Ogbe said. She noted that the government is also working to address key challenges in the region, including weak collaboration among actors, low awareness at local levels, and inadequate accountability structures.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office, Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, represented by Dr. Halil Jabiri, said the BHCPF 2.0 demonstrates the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to improve governance and efficiency in health financing.
Dr. Jabiri noted that findings from the 2023 BHCPF Audit Report exposed accountability lapses that must be urgently addressed, stressing that “every kobo must be accounted for and reach its intended destination.”
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), Dr. Shehu Sambo, described the BHCPF as a “game changer” that has revitalized state-level primary healthcare delivery. He said the success of BHCPF 1.0 laid the foundation for the transition to version 2.0, which promises more transparency, better funding flow, and improved service outcomes.
The BHCPF 2.0 is designed to ensure equitable access to essential healthcare services, particularly for women, children, and vulnerable groups, through improved coordination between federal and state health institutions.
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