Body pledges financial support for vaccination, sanitation in Nigeria

The UN said in Abuja on Monday that it was mobilising financial and other supports to enhance vaccination and sanitation in Nigeria.

Its Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, made this known during a visit to Family Health Clinic, (primary health care centre) in Area 2, Garki, Abuja.

"The United Nations is mobilising all necessary resources and working very closely with Global Vaccine Alliance to mobilise necessary support, particularly financial support for the country.

The global vaccine alliance is an international organisation established in 2000. It aims to bring public and private sector organisations together with the shared goal of creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries.

"I have been very impressed by the way Nigerian Government is providing sanitation and health services for many people particularly women and children.

"The United Nations is mobilising all necessary resources and we are working very closely with the alliance to mobilise necessary support, particularly financial support for Nigeria.

"I rejoice with Nigeria for celebrating one year of zero case of polio and I hope that, as soon as possible, Nigeria will be declared a polio-free state.

"We have just two countries in the world remaining with polio - Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nigeria will soon be declared a polio free country, I hope this momentum will be sustained’’, Ban said.

Dr Ado Muhammad, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), described the visit as the highest level political support for the primary health care system in Nigeria.

He commended the UN Secretary General’s visit to the primary healthcare centre in Garki to see how immunisation and family health services were provided.

He also noted that Ban was very happy with the country’s achievements in the area of interrupting the wild polio virus.Muhammed said the agency was happy for the assurances of the UN secretary-general on the sustained funding of the programme.

"Funding will be made available so that we can eradicate and get World Health Organisation's certification of polio-free nation between 2015 and 2017.

"It is a good support for the programme and we are encouraged; it has also motivated health workers that their hard work is acknowledged, appreciated and commended.’’