NPHCDA targets measurable PHC gains in 2026

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says it will consolidate ongoing reforms and accelerate implementation in 2026 to deliver measurable improvements in primary healthcare services across Nigeria nationwide.

Dr Muyi Aina, Executive Director of the agency, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the first quarterly media briefing for 2026, outlining priorities, progress, and expectations for the health sector.

Aina described 2026 as a critical year, marking the third year of the current administration and his leadership, with focus on consolidating reforms and scaling initiatives to achieve measurable nationwide impact.

He said the year would prioritise consolidation and scale-up, ensuring reforms already introduced begin to deliver measurable impact, while maintaining a strong commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes across communities.

He reaffirmed that the agency’s strategic priority remained delivering quality primary healthcare services to Nigerians, especially at the grassroots, while strengthening systems that supported efficiency, equity, and improved health outcomes nationwide.

Aina acknowledged the media as key partners in advancing health reforms, noting journalists served as a vital bridge between government and citizens, helping to promote transparency, accountability, and informed public engagement.

He appreciated journalists’ commitment, stating that their questions, even when uncomfortable, helped the agency improved performance, strengthened accountability, and ensured reforms remained responsive to the needs of Nigerians nationwide.

He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu to improving the health sector, noting ongoing efforts to address longstanding challenges and strengthen systems for better service delivery nationwide.

According to him, the quarterly media briefing will be institutionalised to ensure consistent engagement, improved transparency, and effective information sharing between the agency and stakeholders across the country.

He stressed that strengthening primary healthcare remained central to achieving improved health outcomes, noting that reforms were designed to enhance service delivery, expand access, and build public confidence in the system nationwide.

Aina said Nigeria’s primary healthcare reforms were gaining traction, with more than 3,000 primary health centres revitalised nationwide, reflecting sustained efforts to improve infrastructure and service delivery across communities.

He attributed the progress to what he described as unprecedented attention to the health sector under the current administration, which had created an enabling environment for reforms to take root nationwide.

He said the agency had commenced revitalisation work in over 4,000 primary health centres across the country, with more than 3,000 already completed as part of ongoing nationwide upgrade efforts.

Aina explained that facilities had undergone major infrastructural upgrades, including improved buildings, repaired roofs, enhanced security, and provision of accommodation to support health workers delivering essential services in communities nationwide.

He added that reforms were improving not only infrastructure but also service delivery and public confidence, contributing to increased utilisation of primary healthcare services by Nigerians across different parts of the country.

Aina said there was clear evidence of progress in improving quality of care and rebuilding trust, as reflected in growing utilisation rates and stronger community reliance on primary healthcare services nationwide.

He revealed that functional Level 2 primary health centres providing 24-hour services had increased by 59 per cent as of March 2026, compared to March 2024 when the revitalisation programme began.

He explained that Nigeria’s primary healthcare system was structured into Level 1 and Level 2 facilities, with Level 2 centres offering round-the-clock services, while Level 1 centres typically operated during daytime hours.

The NPHCDA boss said more than 14,000 primary health centres, representing over 50 per cent of facilities nationwide, were now functional, marking a significant milestone in strengthening healthcare delivery systems.

He reiterated that 2026 would focus on consolidating gains, scaling up reforms, and ensuring measurable impact across key health indicators, while sustaining momentum already achieved in primary healthcare development nationwide.

Aina said reforms continued gaining traction, with thousands of health workers retrained nationwide alongside revitalised facilities, strengthening the capacity of the system to deliver quality healthcare services across communities effectively.

He attributed the progress to sustained government support and strategic partnerships, which had helped create an enabling environment for reforms and improved coordination in the health sector nationwide.

He revealed that more than 3,700 primary health centres had been solarised through partnerships, including collaboration with UNICEF, improving power supply and enhancing service delivery capacity across facilities nationwide.

According to him, the agency has also expanded access to clean water through borehole installations, ensuring improved functionality of facilities and better conditions for delivering healthcare services to communities nationwide.

He said the interventions were trackable, with Nigerians able to access real-time data on the status of primary health centres through the agency’s dashboard available on its official website.

Aina said that while infrastructure improvements were important, human resources remained central to effective service delivery, requiring sustained investment in training, recruitment, and retention of healthcare workers nationwide.

He said the agency had made significant progress in retraining frontline health workers across the country, strengthening their capacity to deliver quality services at the grassroots level effectively.

Out of 120,000 targeted frontline health workers for retraining, he said more than 38,000 had been trained across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through coordinated programmes.

He explained that the trainings were conducted through integrated primary healthcare coordination platforms designed to strengthen capacity, improve service delivery, and enhance efficiency at the grassroots level nationwide.

Aina acknowledged persistent staffing gaps in many facilities, noting that the Federal Government was working closely with state and local governments to address workforce shortages affecting service delivery.

He explained that while the federal level provided policy direction, coordination, and guidelines, service delivery was largely the responsibility of state and local governments across the country.

He added that collaboration with subnational governments was ongoing through various interventions to ensure facilities were adequately staffed, fully functional, and capable of meeting the healthcare needs of citizens nationwide.

He reiterated that reforms were already yielding results in improved quality of care and increased utilisation of primary healthcare services, reflecting growing public confidence in the system nationwide.

Aina added that the agency would continue to consolidate gains, scale up interventions, and drive measurable impact in 2026, ensuring sustained improvements in primary healthcare delivery across Nigeria nationwide.