As the world observed International Universal Health Coverage Day on December 12th, 202, the government of Federal Nigeria government leveraged the 2023 UHC Day to launch Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative. This bold plan which was launched by Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, aimed to accelerate Nigeria’s journey towards UHC, delivering improved Health For All.

With this initiative, Nigeria has joined the global public health community by recognizing the pivotal linkage between Global Public Health priority and strategy and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), UHC means ensuring that everyone has access to a complete range of quality health services, delivered when and where needed, without incurring financial hardship. In commemorating International Universal Health Coverage Day with this significant policy launch, Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering health for all through the Primary Healthcare (PHC) system and the Primary Health Care Under One Roof national policy. A recent focus in global public health care community has been on integrating preventive measures into primary healthcare. This is a strategy with implications for health care systems strengthening in both the global north and global south. This is also an approach which has been explored by through research in collaboration with Public Health Wales’, World Health Organisation Collaboration Centre, a Center which advances reciprocal learning between health systems in the global north and south.

The WHO plays a pivotal role in mobilizing global commitment to strengthen and invest in UHC by advocating for multisectoral action, the empowerment of local communities, and by incorporating a health in all policies approach across the health care system. Global best practice teaches that it is important for Nigeria to make strategic investments in PHC. Global best practice on investing in PHCs for prevention and health promotion is informed by WHO and other partners research. For Nigeria, setting out on this new journey to deliver UHC through the PHC system, an all-of-systems comprehensive research  focus is required to demonstrate proof of concept. Proof that the PHC for UHC concept is working will ensure the buy-in of vulnerable communities and from strategic multi-stakeholder partners such as the local private sector and international development partners. Ultimately the success of this renewed hope in the PHC for UHC system rests on the sustained mobilization of domestic resources from national, sub-national and sub-states sources. This is a journey which Nigeria finally, seems ready to embark upon.

Zuwaira Paula Hashim