By Dele Anofi
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof Ali Pate yesterday said Rotary International’s grant of $14,037,787 to Nigeria will assist the nation to eradicate all variants of polio by 2030.
The grant was presented to the Minister in Abuja.
The grant, he noted, emanates from a comprehensive, sector-wide strategy aimed at revitalizing the nation’s health sector—a direct outcome of the Compact forged between the Nigerian government and its development partners.
Pate spoke during the presentation of grants totalling to the Minister following the approval of $14,037,787 to strengthen polio surveillance and in recognition of the strides made by the country over the years in ending the disease
Chairman, Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee (NNPPC), Joshua Hassan speech said the Rotary Foundation Trustees, at their January 2023 meeting, approved a grant of US$2,675,000.00 to support Polio eradication in Nigeria through WHO Nigeria for Surveillance.
Hassan, who was a past District Governor of Rotary Nigeria, while making the presentation said an additional grant of $4,514,785 was approved in October 2023 while on the 10th of January 2024 another grant of $ 6,848,002 was approved, totalling$14,037,787.
He said: “These are all one-year grants, which must be fully expended between 31st March 2024 and 2025”, he said while pledging further technical support for the country.
“Rotary through (NNPPC) Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee will continue to support polio eradication and routine immunization in Nigeria through National Emergency Polio Operation Center (NEOC) technical support providing accountability, training frontline polio field workers award, and recognition of good performance as well as community/social mobilization efforts to improve OPV acceptance and non compliance resolution”, .
In his response, Pate, who expressed his delight at the grant noted that since the country has been certified polio free, the new grant would go a long way towards efforts to eliminate the poliovirus variant that has been recorded in some parts of the country..
Pate, expressing his satisfaction with the grant, highlighted that despite the country’s certification as polio-free, the new funding will significantly contribute to endeavors aimed at eradicating the recorded poliovirus variant in parts of the country.
Pate expressed gratitude for Rotary’s gesture, characterizing it as aligned with the Federal government’s comprehensive sector-wide approach to revitalizing the nation’s health sector while he acknowledged the organization’s contributions to the ongoing efforts in disease eradication.
He also assured the donor that the grant would be put to good use and for the purpose it was meant for.
While assuring the donor that the grant would be utilized appropriately for its intended purpose, Pate said, “We will use this resources prudently and efficiently the highest level of integrity, transparency and accountability.
“I want to give the assurance that we will use this resources to serve the people for whom you intended this contribution to serve and for the global agenda of improving the health security of Nigerians”.
Speaking via zoom, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, applauded Rotary and pledged the organization’s commitment to diligently oversee the utilization of the grant.