Nigeria gets $290,000 health equipment from AfDB

The Federal Government of Nigeria has received a donation for health equipment, worth $290,000 from African Development Bank (AfDB), which would be used to address the current health challenges in the country.

The equipment received includes, two ambulances, 30 Bajaj motorcycles, 34 safety boxes, among others.

A statement issued by the Director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, Boade Akinola, said, the items were procured by the World Health Organization (WHO) with funding from AfDB.

While presenting the equipment to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in Abuja, the Country Director of WHO, Dr. Rui Gama Vaz, said that the equipment was initially to curtail the spread of Ebola epidemic, however since Nigeria has succeeded in curtailing Ebola, it can be used to address other epidemics.

He said: “We are here to deliver to the Ministry of Health the equipment that was purchased with fund from the AfDB as part of the Ebola response, however, since Ebola has been contained, we can use these commodities and supply to help in response to any other epidemic.”

Receiving the equipment, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said that the equipment would help Nigeria to prepare against any eventuality that may occur.

“We thank you very sincerely and we need more, this is just the beginning the whole World must be prepared for eventualities as global warming is bringing quite a number of challenges in the health sector, yesterday was Lassa, day before yesterday was Ebola today and tomorrow is Zika and we don’t know what would happen tomorrow and thereafter.

“The most important things is that we must be prepare at all time, these would help us to stay prepared and we still look forward to support our laboratories facilities and build the human system that would make the country ready for any epidemic,” he added.