The House of Representatives Committee on Health has carried out an oversight visit to Bauchi State to review the release, utilisation, and commitment towards the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) programme in the state.
The visit, led by Committee Chairman Dr. Amos Gwamma Magaji, aimed to assess states with high numbers of zero-dose children and evaluate their contributions to counterpart funding.
Discussions between the Committee and the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board focused on the status of BHCPF implementation, highlighting several challenges. These include the reduction of recognised primary healthcare facilities in the state from 323 (one per ward) to 212, as approved by the Federal Government; inadequate remuneration of Community Health Influencers and Promoters (CHIPs) agents; and irregular or non-release of funds.
Other concerns raised were the low number of skilled birth attendants approved under the BHCPF programme, irregular supply of commodities to CHIPs agents, delays in the approval of work plans, and the non-release of ₦3 billion in BHCPF funds for 2025 to the State Primary Health Care Development Board (SPHCDB).
The Committee also discussed the nationwide stockout of vaccines from the national cold chain system, which stakeholders warned could pose serious health risks across the country.
While in Bauchi, the delegation visited the Urban Maternity Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC), where members interacted with healthcare providers and staff.
The BHCPF is a national initiative aimed at strengthening primary healthcare services at the grassroots level. It allocates 1% of the consolidated revenue fund annually, with monthly disbursements to states through the NPHCDA and NHIA gateways. Funds support human resources for health (HRH), health insurance, facility management, and service delivery.
Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, noted that since the inception of BHCPF, only 120 health workers have been approved for the state, leaving the problem of inadequate human resources unresolved.
He stressed that universal health coverage can only be achieved through proper planning and by consulting states, which understand the unique needs of their communities. He also warned that reducing facilities from 323 to 212 would negatively affect service delivery, especially in high-volume remote areas that have not received sufficient attention.
“Most of them have been abandoned by the decision to revert to federal wards, reducing the number of facilities from 323 to 212,” he said.
Dr. Mohammed informed the Committee that Bauchi State has fully paid its PHC-MoU contributions as agreed in the approved addendum, marking the end of the 10-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation.
He emphasised that improving the quality of care through the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) framework, and preventing maternal and child deaths, requires collective responsibility and stronger accountability across facilities managing BHCPF resources.
By Lizzy Carr
