19 February 2008 | Abuja - The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Margaret Chan, will pay her first official visit to Nigeria from 20 to 23 February at the invitation of the Nigerian government, Nigeria’s Health Minister, Prof. Adenike Grange announced at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.

Accompanied by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Luis Gomes Sambo, the visit will provide Dr Chan an opportunity to discuss the main challenges and needs in the health sector in the country, and to strengthen technical cooperation between WHO and Nigeria.

During the three-day visit,Dr Chan is expected to meet with the Nigerian Head of Sate, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua; the First Lady, Mrs Turai Yar’Adua; the Minister of Health, Prof. Adenike Grange; Commissioners of Health from the county’s 36 States; the National Assembly committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of development partners working with WHO to help improve the health and socio-economic situation in Nigeria.

Among other activities, she will also hold a special session with the Special Assistant to the President on MDGs,

The high point of Dr Chan’s visit will be joining Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Turai Yar’Adua, on Thursday, to flag off planned Immunization Plus Days (IPDs), in Sokoto, north-western Nigeria. The IPDs are designed to give impetus to ongoing efforts by the Nigerian government and its developments partners to break the transmission of wild polio virus (WPV) in the country.

Nigeria, the only polio-endemic country in the Region --and one of the only four in the world -- recorded an impressive 80 % reduction in WPV in 2007. Sokoto, one of the 18 States in the north of the country recorded a 50% reduction in WPV in during the same period,

Prof. Grange underlined the importance of Dr Chan’s visit saying: “The relevance of the Director-General’s visit cannot be overestimated considering that the administration of President Yar’Adua regards education and health as the twin engine for economic growth and social development.

Prof. Grange stated that since Nigeria joined WHO in 1960 and signed the Basic Agreement in 1962, “WHO has worked in close collaboration with the (Nigerian) Federal Ministry of Health to establish and implement a wide array of collaborative prgrammes including: disease prevention, control and eradication; health systems and community health; sustainable development and healthy environment; social change and mental health; health technology and pharmaceuticals, and evidence and information for policy.”

For further information, please contact:

Dr Peter Eriki
WHO Representative in Nigeria
Mobile: 08039795150

Catrien Wijkerslooth
Mobile: 08039795148

Samuel Ajibola (in Abuja)
Mobile: 08034885996