Experts launch GoFundPHC to bridge critical gaps in Lagos PHCs

2026-02-04 - 00:18

By Henry Obetta Public health experts in Lagos have raised alarm over persistent gaps in Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs), warning that millions of residents face preventable illness and financial hardship due to weak service delivery. The call was made during the launch of the GoFundPHC campaign, a collaborative initiative supported by Pathfinder International and other partners, aimed at strengthening PHC systems across the state. Speaking, the Chairman of the Public Health Sustainable Advocacy Initiative, PHSAI, Mr. Ayo Adebusoye said: “Primary Healthcare is the first point of contact between communities and the health system. Yet Lagos continues to face serious gaps—shortages of skilled health workers, uneven facility distribution, limited 24-hour services, inconsistent access to power and water, and low public confidence in government-owned PHCs.” Adebusoye added that “only about two-thirds of the required PHC workforce is currently in place, many wards still lack functional PHC facilities, and more than half of residents seek care in the private and informal sector. These realities expose households to preventable illness, financial hardship, and avoidable deaths, while overburdening secondary and tertiary hospitals.” The GoFundPHC campaign seeks to address these challenges by mobilising young people and community actors to demand better-managed and increased investment in PHCs. The campaign will track PHC-related funding, document facility-level service readiness, amplify community voices, promote data-driven decision-making, and support constructive engagement between citizens and government. “Infrastructure investments alone cannot resolve these challenges,” Adebusoye said. “We need sustainable financing, strong local governance, transparent use of funds, and accountable service delivery.” While commending ongoing health reforms by the Lagos State Government, PHSAI stressed the need for deeper coordination between State and Local Governments, as well as Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). “The State provides oversight, policy direction, and financing systems, but Local Governments translate these into well-resourced, responsive services at the ward level,” Adebusoye explained. Through digital platforms and grassroots mobilisation, GoFundPHC aims to reposition PHCs as functional, trusted, and affordable first points of care, ensuring that reforms and investments translate into tangible improvements for Lagos residents.