By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan
Some health sector stakeholders have reviewed the performance of the sector in 2025, urging governments at all levels to prioritise improved healthcare delivery in 2026.
They spoke on Tuesday in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.
Dr Obitade Obimakinde, former National Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), said the 2025 health budget increased by nearly 60 per cent compared to 2024.
He added that the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) more than doubled during the same period.
He said the total allocation to the health sector stood at about N2.48 trillion, representing approximately 5.18 per cent of the national budget.
According to him, the allocation still falls far below the 15 per cent target set by African leaders in the 2000 Abuja Declaration.
“It is worthy to note that Nigeria has persistently fallen short of the Abuja Declaration over the years.
“Although there is increased health service utilisation across the primary healthcare system nationwide compared to 2024, health insurance coverage remains abysmally poor.
“From the foregoing, there is a substantial funding gap for optimal health system strengthening, with several overriding challenges,” Obimakinde said.
He noted that the ‘japa syndrome’, the mass migration of healthcare workers abroad, remained a major concern, driven by poor remuneration and weak welfare packages.
Obimakinde also expressed concern over high operational costs faced by healthcare facilities, particularly energy expenses and exchange rate volatility, which had placed financial pressure on both public and private hospitals.
He added that challenges with budget implementation, including the rollover of capital projects, reflected administrative inefficiencies across sectors.
He urged the government to improve welfare packages for health workers, whom he described as the driving force behind policy implementation.
“There is also a need to increase access to healthcare by expanding the scope and operationalisation of the National Health Insurance Authority,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Oyo State NMA, Dr Happy Adedapo, described the state’s health sector performance in 2025 as unimpressive.
Adedapo said the ‘japa syndrome’ persisted, while several general hospitals and secondary healthcare centres lacked doctors.
“Most primary healthcare centres are still functioning below expectations, and there are many quackery outlets in the state.
“This is in spite of NMA’s efforts to engage government agencies responsible for curbing the menace, beyond mere closure of illegal facilities, to ensure offenders are prosecuted.
“In fairness, I will score the Oyo State health sector 45 per cent, which is below average,” he said.
On budgetary allocation, Adedapo said the N70 billion allocated to health out of the state’s N892 billion budget amounted to less than eight per cent.
He noted that this fell short of the 15 per cent benchmark recommended by the World Health Organization.
Adedapo said the 2026 budget should prioritise upgrading existing infrastructure, procuring modern diagnostic equipment and improving welfare, training and retention of healthcare workers.
“The budget reflects stagnation, and any health allocation that is not in double digits is nothing to celebrate.
“Currently, there is no state government facility with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Computer Tomography scan machine that should ordinarily be available in state specialist hospitals,” he said.
Adedapo stressed that Oyo doctors Corps Members were among the least paid in the South-West, calling for improved remuneration and incentives such as car and housing loans.
He also urged timely payment of residency training funds and domestication of nationally approved salary structures.
He also advocated a dedicated fund for continuous training and retraining of doctors.
Similarly, the Medical Director of Insignia Health, Dr Olumuyiwa Olusanya, underscored the need for a well-equipped primary healthcare system as the foundation for efficient healthcare delivery.
Olusanya called for the integration of private and general practitioners into the primary healthcare system, with adequate financial support.
“Once we get it right at the primary healthcare level, the entire health sector will be repositioned.
“Tertiary healthcare facilities are overcrowded because people cannot access adequate care at the primary level.
“The government should focus on equipping existing teaching hospitals like UCH rather than creating new ones,” he said.
He urged the government to create an enabling environment for doctors and invest heavily in healthcare, as seen in developed countries, to curb the ‘japa syndrome’.
In contrast, Dr Muhammed Odedeji, Director of Health in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State, rated the state’s health sector performance in 2025 positively.
Odedeji, who is also the Medical Director of Ashamby Hospital, Moniya, Ibadan, scored the sector between 75 and 80 per cent.
He said manpower shortages had significantly reduced due to massive recruitment into the primary healthcare system.
“We now have close to 80 to 90 doctors in primary healthcare facilities across the state, compared to about 16 or 17 previously.
“Each local government now has at least two doctors, while other health workers, including security personnel, have also been recruited.
“In total, about 10,000 medical personnel were recruited into the primary healthcare system in 2025,” he said.
Odedeji commended Gov. Seyi Makinde for the free medical care programme, which he said had enabled many residents to access free surgeries and treatments.
“In my local government, 14 out of 27 primary healthcare centres have been upgraded and are fully functional, with at least one centre in each ward.
“The government is doing everything possible to ensure all health centres are upgraded, and I believe full coverage will be achieved in the next few years,” he said.(NAN)
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