AHBN Urges Swift Release of ₦200m IPC Funds to Safeguard Nigeria’s Health Facilities
The Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) has called on the Federal Government to immediately release the ₦200 million allocated for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in the 2025 national budget.
The group emphasises that timely disbursement is vital for protecting frontline health workers, improving hygiene in medical facilities, and strengthening the nation’s public health infrastructure.
In a statement issued in Abuja, AHBN praised the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) for securing the IPC funding, which had previously been excluded in the 2024 budget cycle. The 2025 allocation captured under the budget line “Health Promotion and Disease Prevention/IPC” with code ERGP25217466 is seen as a major milestone in Nigeria’s health security advancement.
Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, Founder and CEO of AHBN, welcomed the budgetary progress but urged urgent action to release the funds without delay.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to promptly release the N200 million allocated to IPC in the 2025 budget. These funds are critical for implementing essential IPC measures across healthcare facilities, including provision of water supply, electricity, sterilisation equipment, handwashing basins, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),” he said.
Dr. Garba added that beyond operational necessity, the release of these funds would position Nigeria to attract more donor support and make a stronger case for increased IPC funding in the 2026 budget.
AHBN also acknowledged the instrumental role played by partners such as the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), who provided technical and financial backing during the advocacy that led to the reinstatement of the IPC budget line.
The advocacy involved strategic engagements with the Budget Office of the Federation, policy dialogues, and public campaigns that helped shape the budget outcome.
Highlighting the broader implications of timely fund disbursement, AHBN noted that it would enable the NCDC to begin full implementation of the National IPC Operational Plan.
The plan is aimed at improving health facility standards across the country, with oversight from the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammed Ali Pate.
AHBN also urged the NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, to act swiftly, especially to benefit under-resourced and rural health centres where IPC resources are desperately needed.
The network reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability in the process. It promised to track the release and use of the IPC funds in collaboration with civil society partners to ensure value for money.
AHBN remains an active member of Nigeria’s Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Technical Working Group on Health Security, the National IPC Technical Working Group, the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium (GHSAC), and the Sustainable Financing and Preparedness Action Package.
“Delays in funding can cost lives. This is not just a budgetary issue; it’s a national health priority,” Dr. Garba concluded.
