US Committing Over $600m To Nigerian Health System – Ambassador

US Committing Over $600m To Nigerian Health System – Ambassador

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, John Erstwhile on Wednesday disclosed that his government is committing over $600 million to Nigeria’s health sector through its many agencies and programmes.

Erstwhile stated this on Wednesday when he visited the Supervising Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan marking his one year in office as the US Ambassador to Nigeria.

“If you add up all the US government’s health activities in Nigeria, it come to over $600 million and that a lot of money. That is one the US government’s biggest health programmes anywhere in the world,” Erstwhile said.

According to the diplomat, “When I look at our huge partnerships, you think of no sector with real impact than the health sector. If you look at the number of issues we are working together on- Ebola, Polio, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, maternal/new born health, the list goes on.

“As I travel around this marvelous country, I always talk about the massive partnerships that these two countries have together. This partnership for me means that the US is not going to do anything for Nigeria but we are going to do things with Nigeria, working together as two equals to make the world a better place.”

Erstwhile explained that all of these things are having incredible impact on the lives of Nigerians; citing their experience at the Reference Hospital in Kano. “We visited these young mothers who were HIV positive, and then we got to hold their babies who thanks to parts of effort to fight HIV, their babies were HIV negative. That is something I will never forget.”

He said that his delegation came to the ministry to assure them of the US government’s commitment in the health sector in Nigeria remains stronger than ever while reassuring that though there would always be challenges in a relationship, we should not be overwhelmed by them as they are few thorns on the road to brighter future.

Meanwhile, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Zenner at a separate visit to the Minister said the his government is committing over £100 million to the country’s health sector as it is determined to help Nigeria fight its health challenges.

Responding, the Supervising Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan said the government of Nigeria is very appreciative of the enormous support being given to them by the US and the German governments in the various health programmes.

“Our war against Ebola is a testimony that you are very supportive of us in technical and material ways. Yes we have contained Ebola but the war is still on, as far as Ebola is in any part of the world, nobody can claim to be safe,’ he said.

He said that the current successes recorded at interrupting polio in the country is largely as a result of the support provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who are US nationals as well as commending Germany’s effort in Tuberculosis, Polio, Leprosy and many other health concerns.

“We are proud that we have only six cases of wild polio virus remaining the country and we hopeful that by the end of December, we would have interrupted its transmission. We want to strengthen our partnership with the US, you have being a lot but we still want to strengthen it,’ the minister added.