NIGERIA, ABUJA – The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system through transparency, shared responsibility, and community participation.
In a statement posted on social media titled “The Red Letter,” dated October 22, 2025, and attributed to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the minister announced that the government had approved and released ₦32.9 billion under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), marking the third round of disbursement this year.
According to the ministry, the funds have already been transferred to the commercial bank accounts of primary health care facilities in every ward across Nigeria. “This money is not sitting in Abuja,” the letter stated. “It is your clinic’s money, your community’s chance, your country’s promise.”
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The minister emphasized that each facility now holds the authority to plan and spend the funds in collaboration with community stakeholders, including traditional leaders, women and youth groups, and faith-based organizations. He urged Nigerians to “stand up and take ownership” by joining health committees, reviewing local plans, and demanding openness in the use of funds.
Prof. Pate noted that the BHCPF represents a renewed hope in Nigeria’s health sector and a symbol of the government’s trust in citizens to ensure accountability. “The government is fulfilling its responsibility as custodian of the fund but trusting you to help safeguard that spending,” he said.
However, the ministry expressed concern that communities often remain passive about fund utilization. “When that happens, silence becomes a loss,” the statement warned, stressing that transparency and vigilance were key to preventing waste.
“The ₦32.9 billion is a seed,” the letter concluded. “When you nurture it with pride and vigilance, it grows into medicine, safe births, better infrastructure, and lives saved.”
The minister called for collective responsibility, adding, “Together, we plan. Together, we spend. Together, we protect life.”
