The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has approved the immediate release of the 2025 health counterfunding to support several public health interventions in the state.
The move was announced on Thursday by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem John, at a briefing in Uyo.
The funding will support programmes including health insurance, primary healthcare, immunisation, family planning and nutrition, Dr. John said. He added that the governor signed the release order to ensure the funds are disbursed before the end of January 2026.
Dr. John said the Ministry of Health focused in 2025 on strengthening health infrastructure, improving staff welfare and training, and enhancing service delivery across health facilities. He said these efforts are meant to produce better health outcomes for residents.
The commissioner highlighted progress in disease control, noting success in leprosy and tuberculosis management with support from partners such as the Global Fund, which enabled the commissioning of five portable X‑ray machines.
These machines, he said, will now provide free X‑rays for suspected TB patients in facilities where they are installed.
Dr. John also discussed improvements in the reporting and auditing of HIV/AIDS cases in the state. He said recent data show about 168,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS have now been identified, down from over 200,000 after an audit corrected earlier double‑counting of registered cases.
Akwa Ibom’s health funding release aligns with broader efforts across Nigeria to expand investment in health systems. Nationally, the Federal Government has also increased health spending and pushed policies to strengthen access to healthcare services and financial protection as part of efforts toward universal health coverage.
The release of the 2025 health counterfunding reflects the state’s strategy to ensure timely financing of core health services and build on existing reforms, including past actions to regulate health facilities and improve quality of care.
Officials said the funding will be monitored to ensure efficient and transparent use, and that improved health outcomes remain a priority for the state’s development agenda.
The approved counterfunding is expected to strengthen routine health services and support ongoing public health priorities in Akwa Ibom State in 2026.
