By Musa Ibrahim
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has renewed its pledge to back Nigeria’s primary healthcare reforms, emphasising that quality healthcare access is a basic right that should be guaranteed to every citizen.
UNICEF Country Representative, Ms Wafaa Saeed, stated this at the third edition of the Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge, organised to commemorate Universal Health Coverage Day. She described the occasion as deeply symbolic, stressing that primary healthcare is the point at which universal health coverage is either fulfilled or falls short.
Addressing an audience that included Vice President Kashim Shettima, state governors, senior health officials, and development partners, Saeed said Nigeria’s journey toward universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must be anchored at the primary healthcare level. She noted that PHC facilities are where women deliver their babies, children receive lifesaving vaccines, and families seek care with confidence. For many Nigerians, she noted, primary healthcare is not only the first stop but the sole source of medical care.
She further observed that Nigeria is at a defining moment in its health reform process, with the Federal Ministry of Health implementing wide-ranging changes under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, launched in November 2023. According to her, the initiative has set a clear course for the sector, backed by the focus and ambition required to achieve lasting impact.
Ms. Saeed said UNICEF remains committed to supporting the Nigerian government, working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and other partners to align efforts around action, accountability, and results that citizens can directly experience.
She acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly high maternal, newborn and child mortality rates, as well as barriers that prevent families from consistently accessing quality care. Addressing these challenges, she said, requires strong leadership at the state and local government levels, with governors playing a key role in strengthening systems, empowering local governments and translating intent into measurable change.
The UNICEF representative noted that the 2025 ceremony marked the final round of the PHC Leadership Challenge supported by the Gates Foundation. She said while this phase of the challenge is coming to an end, its impact will extend far beyond the awards, pointing to governance improvements at the local government level and the willingness of states to respond to evolving performance indicators aligned with national priorities.
She expressed appreciation to partners including the Gates Foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, state governments, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), NPHCDA and other stakeholders for their roles in advancing the initiative, noting that progress in health is never achieved in isolation.
Ms. Saeed also urged stakeholders to remain guided by the commitments of the Seattle Declaration, including better governance, smarter financing, a stronger health workforce, evidence-based decision-making and state-led, local government-owned primary healthcare systems.
Earlier in her remarks, she offered condolences to the government and people of Bayelsa State following the death of the state’s Deputy Governor, describing him as a committed public servant whose passing was deeply felt.
She concluded by calling for renewed resolve to build a future where no woman fears childbirth and where seeking healthcare does not push families into poverty, saying the work on primary healthcare ultimately represents hope for millions of Nigerians.
