Th e Federal Government and the Government of Germany, have signed a 10 million Euros aid agreement to eradicate polio in Nigeria. Th e agreement was signed between Foreign Aff airs Minister, Geoff rey Onyeama, and the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, yesterday in Abuja. Onyeama said that the 10 million Euros grant would facilitate Nigeria’s quest to totally eradicate polio in the country.
He noted that government’s eff orts had some setbacks, due to the activities of terrorism in the North Eastern part of the country. He said: “I just have to take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to the government of Germany for this support. “As you know we have come very close to eradicating polio in the world, but you know there are still one or two issues. “Th e problem we have in the north east has exacerbate the situation and made it more diffi cult to eradicate.” Th e German ambassador expressed optimism that the grant would go a long way in achieving the desired goal. Schlagheck said: “We have engaged with the government of Nigeria for some time, mostly under the assistance of the WHO, and we want to continue with our engagement.
“Together with government of Nigeria, we had achieve some remarkable successes here in Nigeria, on some outstanding issues. “We want to increase and consolidate our engagement and that is actually what we just did. I hope very much that polio will be removed from the country.” Th e ceremony was witnessed by representative of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA). Th e Director of Logistics, PHCDA, Iyabo Dara Dara, in her remarks expressed the belief that Nigeria would soon be declared polio free. She said: “I think in the next two to three years we should be polio free because we are spending almost one year now without any case of polio again. “I think this will go a long way in helping in activities that we have planned.” By Muazu Abari yola Inline with its mandate of supporting the health sector and intervention programmes, the united nation children fund (UNICEF), has signed a memorandum of understanding ( MoU) with the Adamawa state government to strengthen human resources for maternal ,Newborn and child health services in the state. With the signing of this MoU, UNICEF will support and train 10 tutors of Adamawa state school of Nursing and midwifery to acquire post graduate diploma training in education, so as to improve their teaching skills. Th e support will also increase the students tutor ratio by three fold, as well as engagement of 10 tutors on temporary basis as a short term measure to bridge the gap in adequacy of tutors in the institution for a year. Speaking at the ceremony, the UNICEF representative, Dr.Halima Abdu, said the signing of the MoU will follow another grant secure by UNICEF, from EU for the continuation of this project for the year 2017 to 2020. Th e project which started with Adamawa state government in 2013- 2017, involve capacity development for health workers,supplies and strengthening of health system coordination in 226 PHCS in 226 wards. According to her, over the years UNICEF has been partnering with Adamawa state in the areas of health, nutrition, WASH, child protection and education, both in development and humanitarian context to ensure a better livelyhood for the women and children of Adamawa . Dr. Abdu further added that the health sector has also benefi ted from the joint European Union, UNICEF support, with over 2 million women and children reached annually, and several health care services at 226 health facilities through community services. Even as she expressed satisfaction with the way the state have utilised the supports given to it in previous years, she congratulated the state for coming top most in the delivery of primary health services as shown by the report of 2016 national health survey. Also speaking, Adamawa state commissioner for health, Dr.Fatima Atiku Abubakar, thanked UNICEF for their immense support to the state, stressing that the MOU will go a long way to strengthen the health sector of Adamawa. She further assured that the state will fully utilise the opportunity given to it by UNICEF, and record better result than what was achieved in previous years
