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The federal government and its partners on Monday launched a €4.2 million program to strengthen the capacity of Nigeria’s health system to deal with epidemics, with the launch of a collaborative initiative targeting public health institutions.
EU support to public health institutions in Nigeria (EU SPIN) will be implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, for a period of four years.
The 4.2 million euro ($6.791 billion) European Union-funded program aims to help strengthen the core functions of selected public health institutions to detect epidemics earlier, share information more quickly and reduce the negative impact of poor health outcomes at the national level.
Nigeria continues to face a double burden of repeated epidemics alongside a growing number of people living with long-term conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. As pressure increases, so do expectations on healthcare institutions to respond more quickly on multiple levels.
Non-communicable diseases are on the rise and account for 27% of deaths in Nigeria, while malaria contributes 30% of global malaria deaths and recurrent epidemics, such as cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever, meningitis, Mpox, remain a major cause of disease and death.
To effectively fill the gaps that slow down the response to epidemics, EU SPIN’s contribution will improve the way public health institutions collaborate and share responsibilities. It will also train leaders and frontline staff involved in prevention and response and support systems that share data in real time, so that decisions are based on timely information.
Speaking at the launch, Assistant Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said: “This initiative is designed to strengthen our healthcare institutions and is indeed a welcome development.
It will improve the well-being of Nigerians, especially our vulnerable populations.”
