Nevertheless, the organization pointed out that considerable gaps persist, jeopardizing the nation's capacity to achieve international health objectives.
Dr. Walter Mulombo, the WHO representative in Nigeria, made these remarks during an interview with Science Nigeria over the weekend in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He indicated that Nigeria's UHC Service Coverage Index (SCI) rose from 25 in 2003 to 44 in 2019. Furthermore, catastrophic health spending decreased from 23 percent in 2003 to 16 percent in 2018.
Despite these advancements, Mulombo emphasized that out-of-pocket expenses constituted 75 percent of the country's total health expenditure in 2020, a notable increase from 71.5 percent in 2019.
"Although progress has been achieved, the burden of out-of-pocket payments continues to be a significant obstacle to equitable healthcare access," he stated.
He also pointed out that essential service areas, including immunization, antenatal care, tuberculosis treatment, and hypertension management, fall short of both regional and global standards.
"For example, routine vaccination coverage is below both global and regional averages, highlighting the urgent need for intensified efforts," he remarked.
High maternal and under-5 mortality rates were identified as critical concerns. From 2000 to 2021, under-5 mortality decreased from 182 to 111 deaths per 1,000 live births. However, to meet the global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target, a further reduction of 66 percent is necessary.
"Environmental and behavioral risk factors, such as malnutrition, unsafe water and sanitation, air pollution, and increasing obesity rates, continue to worsen Nigeria's health challenges," Mulombo added.
He emphasized the importance of robust political commitment and the effective allocation of public health resources to enhance service coverage and minimize out-of-pocket expenses. Additionally, he highlighted the necessity of adopting a “One Health” strategy to bolster pandemic readiness, promote environmental health, and foster collaboration across various sectors.
“Realizing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is not merely a health goal but a critical component of development. It demands courageous leadership, active community participation, and fair distribution of resources,” he stated.
Mulombo also pointed to the 2023 Global Monitoring Report on UHC, which indicated that billions of people worldwide lack access to essential health services, with out-of-pocket expenditures rising in numerous nations.
“For Nigeria, the path to achieving UHC by 2030 will necessitate expedited efforts at all levels of government and within society, especially in key areas such as child immunization, maternal health, and environmental health,” he concluded.