Abuja, 5 March, 2018 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommitted to eradicating polio, promoting health through the life course, combating communicable and non-communicable diseases, and supporting universal health coverage through government's primary healthcare revitalization agenda over the next biennium (2018-2019).

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole said at the signing of the 2018-2019 biennial work plan in Abuja, that the approved programme budget “Is an attestation of WHO’s will to support government in strengthening the health system and significantly improve health of the people”.

Professor Adewole informed the Country Representative of WHO (WR) to Nigeria that he was delighted to note that a significant part of the programme budget will be dedicated to polio eradication, and battling communicable and non-communicable diseases in the country.

The approved biennium Programme budget is WHO’s work plan, summarizing the costs of planned activities under the country office’s selected outputs. The signing ceremony further highlighted the work of WHO in Nigeria and the support that it provides to government towards making Nigerians healthier.

Both Professor Adewole and Dr Alemu appended their signatures to the WHO Programme Budget 2018-2019 at the Federal Ministry of Health in line with the Country Cooperation Strategy (2014-2019). 

Speaking before the formal signing ceremony, the WR explained, “For 2018-2019 biennium, WHO will prioritize health systems strengthening within the context of primary health care and universal health coverage, polio eradication, scale up priority interventions through the life-course and promote partnerships in alignment with national, regional and global priorities”.

He further disclosed that as part of the approved budget, WHO would further support Nigeria to strengthen its national core capacities for emergency risk management to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies due to any hazard that pose a threat to national health security. 

WHO activities in Nigeria are supported with funding from the government through partnerships with donors.

Technical contact:

Dr Fiona Braka; Tel: +234 703 170 5252; Email: brakaf [at] who.int