The Federal Government on Tuesday disclosed that it had disbursed the sum of N13.775 billion to flag off primary health projects and programmes nationwide under the first phase of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who made the disclosure at the official disbursement of the first tranche in Abuja, said that out of the amount released, N8.5 billion was disbursed to 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He listed some of the benefitting states as Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau and Yobe.
According to him, states and the FCT benefitted from the first tranche disbursement after meeting the BHCPF eligibility criteria earlier set by the Federal Government in February this year.
Ehanire, however, assured that others which had now met the eligibility criteria would soon be covered during subsequent disbursements of the fund.
He clarified: “Today, it is with deep pleasure and high expectations that I am here before you all to officially launch the first phase of disbursement of funds to benefitting states through the NHIS Gateway.
“For this initial phase of disbursement, a total of N13.775 billion has been released, of which the National Health Insurance Scheme will be disbursing N6.5 billion to fifteen states plus the FCT which had met the eligibility criteria as at February 2019”, Ehanire added.
The minister explained further that the BHCPF would be administered through three gateways, namely the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Federal Ministry of Health.
He stated that in the NHIS gateway, the NHIS will purchase a Basic Minimum Package of Healthcare Services through the State Health Insurance Schemes for all participating Nigerians.
