FG Plans Healthcare Policy Review for Civil Servants
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to review its existing healthcare policy for civil servants, citing increasing drug costs and poor service delivery under the current National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme.
This disclosure was made by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, during a medical screening exercise held in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2025 Civil Service Week. She emphasized that the review has become necessary in response to the mounting challenges civil servants face when accessing quality healthcare services.
According to her, the government has received numerous complaints from workers about their inability to get prescribed medications under the NHIA scheme. Many also lamented inadequate care and long wait times at affiliated health facilities.
“The goal is to improve access to affordable and quality healthcare for all civil servants, which will, in turn, boost productivity,” Walson-Jack stated.
The medical outreach, which offered free screening for diseases such as hepatitis, diabetes, malaria, and high blood pressure, reportedly revealed a significant number of undiagnosed health conditions among staff.
This, she said, underscored the urgent need to shift from curative to preventive healthcare approaches.
Officials from the Civil Service Commission and supporting partners at the event stressed the need for a more proactive and inclusive health system that puts the welfare of civil servants first. They noted that a healthy workforce is essential for effective service delivery across government ministries, departments, and agencies.
While a timeline for the policy review was not disclosed, the Head of Service assured that consultations with stakeholders would begin promptly, with the aim of proposing reforms that address the shortcomings in the current system.
The proposed review is expected to tackle issues such as funding gaps, the cost of medicines, poor infrastructure in NHIA-accredited facilities, and limited health coverage for dependents of civil servants. If successful, it could lead to a more robust and sustainable healthcare system for federal employees.
As discussions begin, civil servants across the country are hopeful that the reforms will bring lasting improvements to their health and wellbeing.
