Healthcare Policy Reforms in Northeastern Nigeria: A Critical Evaluation of their Impacts on Healthcare Delivery

Author

Hassan Ruth Audu, Oluwatosin Omoniyi Omodara, Hassan Haggai Audu, Mercy Agudu Aji


Abstract

 Healthcare policy reforms have been introduced in Nigeria to improve service delivery, equity, and access to care; however, their effective implementation remains a major challenge in conflict-affected regions such as Northeastern Nigeria. This study examines the level of awareness, perceived impact, and implementation challenges of selected healthcare policy reforms, namely the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Health Workforce Migration (HWM), Primary Healthcare Under One Roof (PHCUOR), and the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Adamawa, Bauchi, and Borno States. Using a survey-based approach, data were collected from healthcare stakeholders across the three states. The findings indicate that although general awareness of healthcare reforms is relatively high, detailed understanding of specific initiatives particularly the BHCPF remains limited. Respondents reported moderate improvements in healthcare delivery and access to services, especially for vulnerable populations. Nonetheless, persistent challenges such as insecurity, weak coordination across levels of government, and inadequate community engagement continue to hinder effective implementation. The study concludes that while healthcare reforms have shown some positive outcomes, their overall impact in Northeastern Nigeria is constrained by socio-political and institutional barriers. Strengthening intergovernmental collaboration, improving public awareness, integrating security considerations into health planning, and promoting community participation are recommended to enhance healthcare delivery in the region.



Keywords

Healthcare policy reforms, Northeastern Nigeria, NHIS, BHCPF, PHCUOR, insecurity, SPSS, implementation challenges



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References


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