2 weeks Ago By Guardian Nigeria
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has emphasised the need to ensure that financial autonomy at the local councils translates to improved healthcare delivery in rural communities. Speaking at the National Stakeholder Engagement on Accelerating Improvement in Primary Health Care in Nigeria with Local Government Financial Autonomy on Friday, in Abuja, Pate noted that collaboration was critical in advancing primary healthcare in Nigeria, adding that financial autonomy for local governments must be adapted in a way that preserves and enhances service delivery.
The minister observed that the 2014 National Health Act established the National Health System, comprising the Federal Ministry of Health, State Ministries of Health, Local Government Authorities, and other relevant institutions. He noted that the framework should be leveraged to strengthen Nigeria’s primary healthcare system. He said: “We are fortunate to have the necessary instruments and frameworks to guide our actions, but we must now translate them into concrete collaboration at federal, state, and local government levels.
The health system is structured to function through intergovernmental cooperation, and this approach must be strengthened. “Contextualising policies to fit community needs while ensuring alignment with national and state priorities is critical. If we fail to do this, we risk fragmented efforts, duplication of initiatives, and an erosion of standards.
The existing legal and institutional frameworks were designed to facilitate cooperation, ensuring that states remain actively involved in shaping healthcare at the local level, rather than treating it as a responsibility left solely to local governments.” Pate stated that the government’s goal is not to build a system for its own sake, but rather a system that works for Nigerians. He added that too often, stakeholders get caught up in meetings, planning, and bureaucratic processes, losing sight of the core mission of delivering quality healthcare.
“We must ensure that the system is responsive to actual health needs, particularly in maternal and child health, immunisation, sexual and reproductive health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and mental health. These are the real issues facing our communities, and they must remain our primary focus,” he said. Stressing the need to be realistic about the country’s financial limitations, the minister noted that healthcare spending in Nigeria is currently below $14 per capita, disclosing that local governments’ contributions are estimated at just $3 to $4 per capita.
He, therefore, stated that financial autonomy alone would not address the challenges, noting that it requires strategic resource allocation where local governments optimise what they have, states provide their own support, and the Federal Government continues to offer technical and policy guidance. Briefing journalists after the meeting, Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, said that the meeting followed a landmark court ruling that granted financial autonomy to the local governments.
He noted that stakeholders acknowledged the challenges and opportunities presented by the ruling and expressed their commitment to working together to protect the gains of primary healthcare and accelerate its impact. Aina revealed that a framework for collaboration has been established, outlining the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder, including tiers of government, non-state actors, and development partners..
