Abuja – The U.S. on Friday renewed its commitment to support polio eradication in Nigeria.
The Charge D’ Affairs U.S. Mission in Nigeria, Mr David Young made the promise at the commissioning and official hand over of the Jikoko Community Health Centre.
NAN reports that the project was supported by U.S. Ambassador’s small Grant Programme in Bwari Local Council Area, Abuja.
It is a self help community project, was built with the assistance of Tabitha Cumi Foundation with a U.S. Ambassador grant of 10, 000 dollars
said that the U.S. contributed over 23 million dollars annually to immunisation activities in Nigeria
He said that U.S. through its agency U.S. Agency for International Development made annual contribution of 7.35 million dollars to support Nigeria’s polio programmes.
“In addition to the annual contribution, the polio programme also received an additional seven million dollars at the national level in 2016 and provided technical assistance in Bauchi, Katsina and Sokoto States.
“The U.S. government is appreciated of our work with the National Primary Health Development Agency, the UN agencies, state governments as well as National Stop Transmission of Polio programme and GAVI alliance.
“We urged them to strengthen this work to kick out polio out of Nigeria. Nigeria is the only country in Africa that is still on the endemic list of polio.
“ Health workers are encouraged to continue to make the provision and demand for immunisation a priority,” he said
He said that “health of children is the future of the family, community and the country in general“.
Young expressed confident that the commissioning of the health centre in the community would contribute towards the goal to kick out polio by providing immunisation services, including polio vaccines.
The envoy said that the commissioning of the clinic was an indication that “health is one of the priority areas of U.S. development assistance in Nigeria”.
Young said that U.S support for HIV and AIDS programmes in Nigeria between 2014 and 2016 totalled more than 4.3 billion dollars with more than 700,000 patients treated in 2016 alone.
The representative of the community Mr Ismaila Shaizaza commended the U.S. government, Bwari Local Government and Tabitha Cumi Foundation that made the centre possible.
While assuring that the community would make judicious use of the clinic, Shaizaza urged the chairman of the council to give adequate staff to clinic which is currently with one staff and two volunteers.
The Chairman of Bwari Area Council, Mr Musa Dikko, gave assurance that the centre would be fully equipped and staffed for the maximum benefit of the community
The Executive Director, Tabitha Cumi Foundation, Mrs Tayo Erinle, said that the foundation would continue to monitor and evaluate the centre.(NAN)