The National Primary Health Care Development Agency has launched the start of a European Union-funded project to support maternal, newborn and child health, strengthen health systems and eradicate polio.

Parties to the project in Abuja signed up to a grant of €70 million (around N23 billion) from the EU to be implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organisation and Nigerian authorities in select states.

The first €50m disbursed through UNICEF is to ensure that by 2020, at least 80% of wards in Adamawa, Bauchi and Kebbi have a function primary health centre providing round-the-clock serves to 3m children aged under five and almost 1m pregnant women or nursing mothers.

The other €20m will help strengthen health care systems to achieve universal health coverage in Anambra and Sokoto.

Under the EU’s 11th Development Fund, the EU ambassador to Nigeria, Michel Arrion, said, “The focus is especially on providing services to poor, marginalised, rural women and children, saving the lives of mothers and children and improving their health and nutrition through a sustainable primary health care delivery system.”

“Through this important project, we will build on what has already been achieved and continue to strengthen the health systems in these states,” said Mohamed Fall, UNICEF Nigeria Representative.

He added, “This will help Nigeria on the road to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals agreed at the United Nations in 2015 by all the world’s nations, including Nigeria.”
Daily Trust