The Federal Government has launched the National Integrated Rehabilitation Services in Primary Health Care (PHC), a landmark initiative aimed at expanding access to rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities, older persons, survivors of trauma and people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across Nigeria.
The initiative, unveiled at the Doya Primary Health Care Centre in Bauchi State, seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system by integrating rehabilitation into primary healthcare services, making quality care more accessible at the community level. The government also announced plans to incorporate rehabilitation services and assistive products into the National Health Insurance framework to reduce the financial burden and out-of-pocket expenses faced by Nigerians who require rehabilitation.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, described rehabilitation as one of the defining priorities of global public health, particularly in the face of rising cases of disability, injuries, ageing and non-communicable diseases.
He noted that although Nigeria has about 34,000 Primary Health Care Centres, the country has only about 5,000 licensed physiotherapists, alongside significant shortages of occupational therapists, prosthetists and orthotists, speech and language therapists, audiologists and other rehabilitation professionals.
According to the minister, the existing workforce is inadequate to support the nationwide integration of rehabilitation services into primary healthcare. He therefore called on all rehabilitation professionals to work together in unity, mutual respect and shared purpose to achieve the programme’s objectives.
Pate explained that the initiative aligns with the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative, which urges countries to integrate rehabilitation into Universal Health Coverage and recognise it as an essential health service available at every level of healthcare.
He added that Africa’s response to the global agenda resulted in the adoption of the WHO Regional Strategy to Strengthen Rehabilitation in Health Systems (2025–2035), which estimates that more than 210 million Africans require rehabilitation services, while over 63 per cent of those in need are unable to access them.
The minister said Nigeria embraced the vision during the 2023 National Stakeholders’ Meeting, where participants unanimously agreed that rehabilitation services should be integrated into Primary Health Care as the most effective way to reach millions of Nigerians. He noted that this led to the approval of the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative in Nigeria and the inauguration of the National Rehabilitation Technical Working Group in November 2024.
Describing the launch as a significant milestone, Pate said the initiative would ensure rehabilitation services become an integral part of primary healthcare and are accessible to every Nigerian, especially persons with disabilities, older persons, trauma survivors, people living with non-communicable diseases and others whose health conditions affect their ability to function independently.
He said the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on strengthening primary healthcare, promoting social inclusion, protecting vulnerable populations and ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services.
According to him, the initiative also complements the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), through which the Federal Government is improving healthcare governance, infrastructure, workforce development and service delivery.
“The integration of rehabilitation into Primary Health Care is not simply another government programme; it is a strategic national investment in human capital development, Universal Health Coverage and sustainable national development,” Pate said.
He disclosed that the National Minimum Benchmark Framework for integrating rehabilitation services and workforce requirements into Primary Health Care has been approved to guide implementation across the country and ensure quality, consistency and accountability.
The minister also urged the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria to strengthen workforce development by expanding accredited training institutions, promoting competency-based education and adopting innovative strategies that would increase the number of qualified rehabilitation professionals without compromising professional standards.
Pate further revealed that the Federal Government is seeking additional funding to replicate the Doya Primary Health Care rehabilitation model in other facilities across the country, ensuring rehabilitation services are available within communities rather than being restricted to secondary and tertiary hospitals.
Earlier, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria, Yusuf Ahmad, described the launch as a defining moment in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
He noted that rehabilitation services had remained concentrated in secondary and tertiary hospitals for more than six decades, denying many Nigerians in rural communities access to essential rehabilitation care.
“Today’s launch represents the fulfilment of years of advocacy, collaboration and policy development,” Ahmad said.
He explained that the Board has digitised its regulatory processes, reviewed professional guidelines and strengthened accreditation systems to support the nationwide expansion of rehabilitation services.
Ahmad assured the Federal Government of the Board’s commitment to providing effective regulatory leadership to ensure quality, safe and ethical rehabilitation services, while calling on physiotherapists, occupational therapists, prosthetists, orthotists, speech and language therapists, audiologists and other rehabilitation professionals to work together for the success of the initiative.
A major highlight of the event was the donation of rehabilitation equipment and materials by the Foundation for Empowering Persons with Disabilities through Medical Rehabilitation.
The Foundation’s Chairman, James Lalu, also announced the sponsorship of the salary of a physiotherapist for one year to provide rehabilitation services at the Doya Primary Health Care Centre.
The launch was attended by officials of the Bauchi State Government, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, representatives of the World Health Organization, development partners, professional associations, organisations of persons with disabilities and traditional leaders, who reaffirmed their commitment to advancing inclusive healthcare and rehabilitation services across Nigeria.
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