The United State government said it committed over $600 million last year to save lives in Nigeria through its health assistance programmes.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria through a statement issued yesterday also stated that its government has spent over $20 billion on African health programme since 2021.
The U.S. government commended the partnerships on health in Nigeria, stressing that it has saved millions of lives, strengthened health systems and better prepared Nigeria for current and future health security threats.
“Malaria threatens over half the world’s population and claims the life of a child every minute, and the United States, together with our global partners, has saved over 11.7 million lives and prevented two billion malaria infections globally.
“Malaria is a leading cause of death in Nigeria but malaria deaths in Nigeria have fallen by 55 percent since 2000.
“To advance Nigeria’s national strategy to counter malaria since 2011, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) has taken steps to prevent illness and death by providing nearly 83 million insecticide-treated nets; 22 million malaria preventive treatments in pregnancy; 164 million fast acting malaria medicines; and over 102 million rapid diagnostic tests for malaria.”
The US government added that during the COVID-19 pandemic, it helped Nigeria vaccinate 70 per cent of its eligible populations, supported in controlling, eliminating and eradicating other vaccine-preventable diseases as well.
“Through technical expertise and programmatic support, the United States collaborates with international and local partners to strengthen immunization systems and expand routine vaccine delivery. In the course of these efforts, the U.S. government has donated 44 million doses of COVID vaccine, supported vaccination of 2,145,063 children for polio in security compromised areas, helping Nigeria become certified free of wild poliovirus in 2020.
“It also supported introduction of four new vaccines for children, including rotavirus, IPV2, measles and HPV.”
“Together, the United States and Nigeria are working to strengthen health security capacities. Several U.S. government agencies partner with the Nigerian government to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from emerging public health threats.
Through these collaborations, we are protecting the health of Nigerians, Americans and people across the globe.
