FG, Global Partners Take On Soaring Health Costs As Nigeria Pushes For Universal Care
As hospital bills continue to push millions of Nigerians to the brink, government and global health leaders are sounding a clear warning: healthcare must no longer be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it.
The Federal Government has renewed its resolve to end unaffordable healthcare and widen access to quality services, as federal and state officials joined United Nations agencies at the 2025 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day celebration in Abuja.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said the Tinubu administration is committed to ensuring that no Nigerian is forced to choose between seeking medical care and meeting basic household needs.
He described health as both a fundamental human right and a key driver of national productivity and economic growth.
Pate highlighted ongoing reforms under the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which he said has helped align federal, state and development partners around a unified health plan to reduce fragmentation and improve accountability.
Speaking for state governments, Chairman of the Commissioners of Health Forum, Dr Oyebanjo Filani, acknowledged the funding pressures facing the sector, especially as donor support declines.
He said states are taking greater ownership by expanding access to care, closing funding gaps and responding more closely to citizens’ needs.
United Nations agencies also reinforced their support. UNFPA, through its representative Dr Oluwatosin Kolade, described UHC as essential for dignity and empowerment, particularly for women and vulnerable groups, while reaffirming its commitment to sexual and reproductive health services.
The World Health Organisation warned that out-of-pocket payments remain a major obstacle to UHC across Africa, noting that hundreds of millions were pushed into financial hardship by health spending in 2022 alone.
With this year’s UHC Day themed “Unaffordable Health Costs: We Are Sick of It,” stakeholders called for stronger political will, increased domestic financing and sustained accountability to finally break Nigeria’s cycle of sickness driven by high healthcare costs.
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