Achieving UHC requires political will, strategic financing – Health minister

File photo: The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako.

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The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, has called on health professionals across the country to embrace innovation and strengthen strategic collaboration with the private sector and development partners to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage.

Salako also stressed the need for strong political will at all levels of government, backed by improved and sustainable health financing, to ensure that every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare without financial hardship.

He made this known on Monday while delivering a keynote address titled “Bridging the Gap: Advancing Universal Health Coverage in Ogun State for Healthy Beginnings and a Hopeful Future” at the 36th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Resident Doctors, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State.

He was represented by Paul Agboola, Medical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.

According to the minister, Universal Health Coverage is not just a policy direction but “a moral commitment” to guarantee equitable, affordable, and accessible healthcare for all Nigerians, irrespective of location, income, gender, or social class.

He noted that although Nigeria has recorded progress in several aspects of the health sector, many families still struggle to pay for essential care, while rural and underserved communities face shortages of skilled health workers, poorly equipped facilities, and limited access to essential medicines.

He added that maternal and child health outcomes remain uneven nationwide.

Salako highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which he said is addressing these challenges through policies targeted at improving maternal and child health services, including skilled birth attendance, better antenatal and postnatal care, strengthened immunisation coverage, and improved nutrition.

He said the Federal Government is placing renewed emphasis on primary healthcare as the foundation of Nigeria’s health system, adding that efforts are ongoing to revitalise PHC facilities, deploy skilled personnel, strengthen medicine supply chains, and implement community-based health interventions.

He also disclosed that 774 young Nigerians were recently trained and deployed as “Healthcare Champions” to all local government areas across the country.

The minister commended Ogun State for expanding its Health Insurance Scheme to cover vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, children under five, older persons, and people living with disabilities, saying the achievement demonstrates what is possible when leadership is driven by compassion and evidence-based decision-making.

However, he emphasised that the government alone cannot achieve UHC.

“Achieving UHC requires political will, strategic financing, community engagement, and strong partnerships.

“Our success depends on robust collaboration among the private sector, development partners, NGOs, traditional institutions, community leaders, and professional bodies,” he said.

Salako also underscored the need to fully embrace innovation, including digital health tools for telemedicine, disease surveillance, data-driven planning, and improved patient follow-up.

He urged policymakers to prioritise health financing and encouraged health workers to maintain ethical standards and serve with compassion.

On her part, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, said achieving UHC is a shared responsibility.

Coker noted that while the government drives reforms, resident doctors provide frontline insights that influence practical health solutions.

She called for stronger collaboration between the ministry and resident doctors to further expand access to quality healthcare in the state.

The guest speaker and immediate past Commissioner for Health, Babatunde Ipaye, advocated increased investment in the health sector, fair remuneration for medical professionals, and expanded health insurance coverage to close existing gaps in UHC.

In his welcome address, President of the OOUTH ARD, Olusola Monehin, a gynaecologist, noted that UHC goes beyond financing and touches on equity, access, and the dignity of human life, stressing that no Nigerian should be denied healthcare due to inability to pay.

Monehin highlighted efforts by his administration to improve the welfare, training and professional relevance of resident doctors in the state.

He encouraged his colleagues to recommit themselves to service, unity, excellence, and innovation as the nation works toward strengthening its healthcare system.

Nigeria continues to make steady progress toward UHC through reforms such as the National Health Insurance Authority Act and increased allocations to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

However, overall insurance coverage remains low—at about nine per cent as of 2024—while roughly 70 per cent of total health spending still comes out-of-pocket.

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