FG Unveils N50 Billion Support Package for Health Workers

FG Unveils N50 Billion Support Package for Health Workers
Moves to harmonise cost of blood across hospitals
Prioritise Nigerians’ welfare, Pate urges striking doctors

The Federal Government has approved over N50 billion to settle arrears, allowances, and professional needs of healthcare workers across various cadres in the country, as part of efforts to strengthen the health sector and address long standing welfare issues.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that it also announced plans to harmonise the cost of blood across hospitals nationwide, a move aimed at promoting fairness, transparency, and accessibility for patients in need of transfusion.

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Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in Abuja at the 2025 Nigeria Health Sector Annual Joint Review with the theme “All Hands on One Mission Bringing Nigeria Health Sector to Light.”

Pate said the government had been constructively engaging with health professional bodies to resolve long standing challenges, urging all health workers to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians amid the ongoing industrial action by resident doctors.

“We are committed to addressing the legitimate concerns of our health professionals, but we must always put the Nigerian person at the centre of attention,” he said.

The minister revealed that over the past few months, the government approved more than N50 billion to meet the financial and professional needs of healthcare workers, while reforms were underway to make the sector more responsive and accountable.

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He further stated that maternal deaths have declined by 17 per cent and newborn deaths by 12 per cent across 172 high burden local councils under the Miyami model, areas that account for more than half of maternal deaths nationwide.

Routine health data, he noted, also showed steady improvements in vaccination coverage, with Nigeria achieving most of its targets for measles and rubella, while the introduction of the HPV vaccine was described as a “beacon of progress.”

According to Pate, antenatal care coverage increased from 39 per cent in 2023 to over 50 per cent in 2024 and 2025, while more than 90 per cent of deliveries were attended by skilled birth attendants, a sign of growing confidence in the public health system.

He added that the Federal Government was advancing its localisation agenda by reducing dependence on external aid, strengthening local manufacturing of medicines, vaccines, and health technologies, and building resilient supply chains.

In a related development, the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) has begun a national effort to harmonise the cost of blood across public and private hospitals following public outcry over inconsistent fees and reports of exploitation.

Speaking at a workshop for Hospital Transfusion Committee (HTC) members in Abuja, the NBSA Director General, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, said the initiative was designed to ensure that blood remains a public good, accessible to all Nigerians without undue financial burden.

“Blood is a public good. What we are doing is to ensure that Nigerians have access to safe blood when they need it, without being exploited,” Yuguda said.

He added that several patients had complained of being charged for blood that was never used, often without refunds, an issue the harmonisation policy seeks to correct.

Pate reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to sustain the gains recorded in the health sector and ensure that reforms translate into better outcomes for all Nigerians.