Primary Health Care System: A Framework for Strengthening and Sustaining COVID-19 Outbreak Response in Nigeria

The COVID-19 pandemic has been ongoing for about 2 years and is currently creating a deadly ripple effect on the health of people in Nigeria and across the world, overwhelming healthcare infrastructures and the unprepared health system capacity of several countries thereby threatening the significant gains in health and human progress and development made over several decades. Addressing this ongoing global health “monster” called COVID-19 and providing people with essential services while responding to and recoveringfrom the pandemic in Nigeria demands a strong and resilient health system, especially at the primary health care (PHC) level, that can address people’s diverse health needs at every stage of life. This paper discusses the need to strengthen the capacity of the PHC system especially during the COVID-19 outbreak response and identify key roles the PHC system could play in sustaining and winning the waragainst COVID-19 in Nigeria.Keywords: Primary health care; COVID-19 pandemic; Outbreak response; Nigeria