Health
Nigeria Yet to Allocate 15% of Budget to Health as Promised—WHO
By Adedapo Adesanya
Almost 22 years after pledging to set a target of allocating at least 15 per cent of their annual budget to improve the health sector, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Nigeria is still far from meeting the goal.
In April 2001, heads of state of African Union countries met in Abuja and pledged to set a target of allocating at least 15 per cent of their budget to the health sector.
In commemoration of this year’s World Health Day, which coincided with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of WHO, the Abuja Declaration on improving the health sector was revisited, and many setbacks remained.
April 7 every year was dedicated by the United Nations as World Health Day, and this year was themed, Health for All -Strengthening Primary Health Care to Build Resilient Systems.
Speaking around the declaration made by the then Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Dr Walter Mulombo, WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, explained that even after successive governments, “today, we are still far from achieving the target.’’
Dr Mulombo advocated more funding of the health sector to meet the said target, saying the sector was not adequately funded, compared to areas such as defence, and army, among others.
According to him, health is a human right and not a luxury or consumable, the more politically wise decisions the country makes now will benefit this nation.
“We need to start talking about human rights violations because it is not acceptable for any child to miss a vaccine,’’ he said.
He said that some areas where the organisation accessed showed that 80 per cent of the money went into tertiary hospitals.
According to him, primary healthcare is where 80 per cent of the population in the communities get their first exposure to healthcare services.
“The spending itself is distorted. That is the biggest challenge that has generated everything that we have seen.
“Lack of adequate budget to prepare responses to a pandemic, for instance, we have to struggle in many places,’’ he said.
According to him, the main challenge is the way health is featured as a political choice, and unfortunately, many governments do not live by the standard.
“Many countries continue to consider health as a luxury or something that is costing the government money whereas it should have been taken like an enabling factor for economic and socio-economic development,’’ Mr Mulombo said.
He said it was worrisome the way countries were dealing with social determinants of health, factors like socioeconomic status, education, neighbourhood and physical environment, employment, and social support networks and access to health care.
According to him, addressing social determinants of health is important for improving health and reducing longstanding disparities in health and healthcare.
Dr Mulombo further advocated more facilities with dialysis machines and more expensive equipment to combat the noncommunicable diseases as such was part of the organisation’s challenges.
He said that the organisation also had the challenges of demographic transition because the facilities that were used during the colonial period were still the same in Africa, although It may be possible that Nigeria had the same situation.
“The country is not expending in the space of demographic transition, and the way the population is increasing, Nigeria is projected to have more than 400 million population by 2040, 2050,’’ he said.
Dr Mulombo said that there was also the problem of how the county prepares for the response to any big outbreaks of pandemics.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic was not expected and as such caused havoc in many counties.
“The health body is still expecting the flu pandemic and has been preparing for it.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, no country was ready, not even the US or the UK, and yet we have International Health Regulations and Global Health Security Agenda.
“The way we prepare was a challenge, and the other one was that the demographic transition and the prominence of disease civilisation, non-communicable diseases, our health facilities are not prepared to face these challenges,’’ he said.
The International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 is a legally binding agreement of 196 countries to build the capability to detect and report potential public health emergencies worldwide.
It requires that all countries have the ability to detect, assess, report, and respond to public health events.
The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is a global effort to strengthen the world’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats.
According to him, there is a need for the community to play their roles in identifying their needs and in providing the service to address the challenges.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To commemorate World Cancer Day observed on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, Polaris Bank Limited is bankrolling free screenings for breast and prostate cancers across the country.
The financial institution partnered with a non-governmental organization (NGO) known as Care Organization and Public Enlightenment (COPE) for this initiative.
At least 100 women would be screened during the exercise, scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the C.O.P.E Centre on 39B, Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The exercise will be conducted by trained health professionals and volunteers, ensuring participants receive both screening services and educational guidance on cancer prevention, self-examination, and follow-up care.
To participate in the free breast cancer screening programme, the applicants must be women, must be Polaris Bank account holders, and must have registered ahead of the day via bit.ly/BCS2026, with selection based on early and confirmed submissions.
Polaris Bank said the initiative was designed to promote awareness, screening, early detection, and preventive care, reinforcing its belief that access to health services is a critical foundation for individual and economic well-being.
The organization is already supporting an on-going free prostate cancer screening programme for 250 men aged 40 years and above across Nigeria.
The prostate cancer screening is being conducted at the Men’s Clinic, situated at 18, Commercial Avenue, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, providing accessible, professional medical support for male participants seeking early detection and preventive care for prostate cancer.
Both initiatives (free breast and prostate cancer screenings) directly aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) through improved access to preventive healthcare and early detection services, SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by prioritizing women’s health and empowerment, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through strategic collaboration with civil society organizations such as C.O.P.E to deliver community-centered impact.
Educational materials, community engagement sessions, and digital awareness campaigns will be deployed to reinforce key messages around early detection, lifestyle choices, and the importance of regular medical check-ups.
The Head of Brand Management and Corporate Communications for Polaris Bank, Mr Rasheed Bolarinwa, emphasised that early detection remains one of the most effective tools in the fight against cancer.
By Adedapo Adesanya
International Finance Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) have partnered to provide Naira-denominated financing to NSIA Advanced Medical Services Limited (MedServe), a wholly owned healthcare subsidiary of the country’s wealth fund.
Supported by the International Development Association’s Private Sector Window Local Currency Facility, this financing enables MedServe to scale critical healthcare infrastructure while mitigating foreign exchange risks. IFC is a member of the World Bank Group.
The funds will support MedServe’s expansion program to establish diagnostic centers, radiotherapy-enabled cancer care facilities, and cardiac catheterisation laboratories across several Nigerian states.
These centres will feature advanced medical technologies, including CT and MRI imaging, digital pathology labs, linear accelerators, and cardiac catheterisation equipment, thereby enhancing specialised diagnostics and treatment.
MedServe provides sustainable service delivery with pricing that matches local income levels, helping ensure broader access to affordable oncology care for low-income patients.
The initiative will deliver over a dozen modern diagnostic and treatment centers across Nigeria, create 800 direct jobs, and train more than 500 healthcare professionals in oncology and cardiology specialties.
The total project size is $154.1 million, with IFC contributing roughly N14.2 billion ($24.5 million) in long-tenor local currency financing, marking IFC’s first healthcare investment in Nigeria using this structure.
This comes as Nigeria advances its aspirations for Universal Health Coverage. This partnership provides an opportunity to leverage private investment to complement government efforts to expand oncology care and diagnostic services.
IFC’s provision of long-tenor Naira financing addresses a significant market gap and unlocks institutional capital for healthcare infrastructure with strong development upside while MedServe’s co-location strategy with public hospitals maximises capital efficiency and strengthens the public-private ecosystem, establishing a replicable platform for future investment.
“This partnership with IFC represents a significant milestone in NSIA’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare ecosystem through sustainable, locally anchored investment solutions,” said Mr Aminu Umar-Sadiq, managing director & chief executive of NSIA.
He added, “By deploying long-tenor Naira financing, we are addressing critical infrastructure gaps while reducing foreign exchange risk and ensuring that quality diagnostic and cancer care services are accessible to underserved communities. MedServe’s expansion underscores our belief that commercially viable healthcare investments can deliver strong development impact while supporting national health priorities.”
“This ambition is consistent with our broader vision for Africa, one where resilient health systems and inclusive growth reinforce each other to deliver long-term impact across the continent,” said Mr Ethiopis Tafara, IFC Vice President for Africa.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Efforts to entrench mandatory health insurance through the Ilera Eko Social Health Insurance Scheme in Lagos State have been stepped by the state government.
This was done with the formal investiture of the Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Mrs Kemi Ogunyemi, as Enforcement Leads of the Lagos State Health Scheme Executive Order and ILERA EKO Champions.
The Commissioner described the recognition as both symbolic and strategic, noting that Lagos is deliberately shifting residents away from out-of-pocket healthcare spending to insurance-based financing.
“We have been battling with how to increase enrolment in ILERA EKO and change the culture of cash payment for healthcare. Insurance is a social safety net, and this mindset shift is non-negotiable,” he said.
He recalled that Lagos became the first state to domesticate the 2022 National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act through an Executive Order issued in July 2024, making health insurance mandatory. He stressed that the decision reflected the Governor’s strong commitment to healthcare financing reform, adding, “When Mr. Governor personally edits and re-edits a document, it shows how critical that issue is to the future of Lagosians.”
Mr Abayomi also warned against stigmatisation of insured patients, describing negative attitudes towards Ilera Eko enrolees as a major barrier to uptake. “If someone presents an Ilera Eko card and is treated as inferior, uptake will suffer. That must stop,” he said, pledging to prioritise insurance compliance during facility inspections. “The key question I will keep asking is: ‘Where is the Ilera Eko?’”
In her remarks, Mrs Ogunyemi, said the enforcement role goes beyond a title, stressing that the health insurance scheme is now law.
“This is about Universal Health Coverage and equitable access to quality healthcare for everyone in Lagos State,” she said, noting that ILERA EKO aligns with the state’s THEMES Plus Agenda.
She commended the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) for aggressive sensitisation efforts across the state, saying constant visibility was necessary to address persistent gaps in public knowledge. “People are still asking, ‘What is Ilera Eko?’ ‘Where do I enrol?’ Those questions tell us the work must continue,” she said.
She urged all directors and health officials to mainstream Ilera Eko promotion in every programme and engagement, emphasising that responsibility for health insurance advocacy does not rest with LASHMA alone. “When people come with medical bills, the first question should be: are you insured?” she said, adding that early enrolment remains critical as premiums rise over time.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Ms Emmanuella Zamba, said the investiture marked a critical step in positioning leadership to drive enforcement of the Executive Order across the public service.
“What we are undertaking is pioneering in Nigeria. All eyes are on Lagos as we demonstrate how mandatory health insurance can work,” she said.
Ms Zamba disclosed that enforcement nominees across Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been trained, with a structure in place to ensure compliance beyond the health sector.
According to her, “This initiative cuts across the entire public service, particularly public-facing MDAs, in line with the provisions of the Executive Order.”
She explained that the formal designation of the Commissioner and the Special Adviser as Enforcement Leaders was meant to strengthen compliance, alongside the Head of Service, while also recognising their consistent advocacy for universal health coverage. “This decoration is to amplify their roles and appreciate the leadership they have shown,” she said.
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