Women and Girls Still Struggle to Access Health Care in Nigeria — GEM
By Naija Enquirer Staff
As Nigeria marks Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day 2025, new findings indicate that adolescent girls and young women continue to face significant barriers in accessing basic healthcare services, despite years of policy commitments aimed at expanding coverage.
The assessment, released by the Gem Hub Initiative, highlights rising out-of-pocket healthcare costs, weak primary healthcare capacity and limited youth-focused services as major obstacles preventing young people—especially females—from obtaining timely, confidential and affordable care.
Nigeria has pledged to achieve universal health coverage, ensuring that all citizens can access essential health services without financial hardship. However, the report notes that progress remains uneven, with adolescents identified as one of the least served groups within the health system.
According to Gem Hub, many young women are unable to afford services such as testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, particularly those not enrolled in health insurance schemes. The resulting financial burden often leads to delayed treatment or complete avoidance of care, increasing health risks.
The findings are based on a rapid assessment of youth-friendly health services and a perception survey conducted in Rivers State, which the organisation says reflects broader challenges across the country. The assessment found that several primary healthcare facilities lacked essential sexual and reproductive health commodities, including emergency contraception, while shortages of trained personnel and inconsistent application of youth-friendly service guidelines were also reported.
Infrastructure constraints were another major concern. Poor road networks, seasonal flooding, irregular clinic hours and unreliable electricity supply were cited as factors limiting physical access to care, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
The report also points to low levels of community and parental engagement, which can discourage adolescents—many of whom rely on family members for healthcare decisions—from seeking medical services.
A frontline health worker interviewed during the assessment noted that many young women were reluctant to return to facilities where they felt judged or lacked privacy. “When adolescents feel exposed or uncomfortable, they simply stop coming,” the provider said.
Universal Health Coverage Day is observed globally to emphasize the importance of accessible and affordable healthcare for all. This year’s theme focuses on the burden of health costs, a challenge that remains particularly acute in Nigeria, where out-of-pocket spending continues to account for a large share of healthcare financing.
Gem Hub Initiative said the findings underscore the persistent gap between national health policies and the lived realities of young people—especially girls and young women—whose specific health needs are often overlooked within the broader healthcare system.
The organisation works with adolescents and young adults across Nigeria on health, education and empowerment programmes, with a strong focus on evidence-based advocacy to inform public debate and policy reform.
