The federal and state health ministries and partners have launched a $1.2 billion Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, SWAp national coordinator, said this during a media engagement on Wednesday in Abuja. 

Mr Umar-Sadiq said this comprehensive strategy was aimed at tackling chronic issues in the health sector, such as inadequate financing, staff shortages, poor data management, and insufficient infrastructure.

He said the SWAp initiative significantly shifted towards a more coordinated and efficient healthcare system.

According to him, the aim is to ensure that every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare services regardless of location or economic status. He said that the initiative came in response to the alarming state of health in Nigeria, where maternal mortality rates remain among the highest in the world.

“The SWAp initiative aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in the allocation and utilisation of these funds, ensuring that resources are directed toward priority areas and used to achieve measurable outcomes,” he said.

He said with only 23.3 doctors per 100,000 people, far below the WHO’s recommendation of 100 per 100,000, Nigeria faced a significant shortage of healthcare professionals.

“SWAp will focus on improving the distribution and availability of skilled healthcare workers across the country, particularly in underserved areas,” he said.

He said that the reliability of health data in Nigeria had been severely compromised.

According to him, reports show discrepancies, such as a 159.7 per cent DPT3 immunisation rate reported by Nigeria, compared to 55 per cent from WHO surveys.

He said Nigeria would develop the capacity to produce critical health products locally, such as mRNA vaccines, bed nets, and select therapeutics.

Mr Umar-Sadiq said the country would consistently achieve the 7-1-7 targets for health threat management, ensuring rapid detection and response to health emergencies, thereby safeguarding public health resilience.

He said that health data would become credible, accessible, and actively used by both public and private sectors better to understand Nigerians’ health needs and guide policy decisions.

He said the goal was to ensure that every Nigerian has access to high-quality, life-saving care regardless of economic status or location.

The SWAp Coordination Office is responsible for the strategic planning, implementation, and oversight of the Sector-Wide Approach in Nigeria’s health sector.

Working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, state health ministries, development partners, and key stakeholders, the office ensures a coordinated effort to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system.

(NAN)