UK Signs MoU With Nigeria To Strengthen Health Security

The United Kingdom, through its national public health institution, Public Health England, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen health security in Nigeria.

At the signing of the MoU held in Abuja, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, emphasised the need for strong collaboration between national public health institutes in ensuring global health security.

“The United Kingdom recognises that we must work closely with other countries in our efforts to build strong and resilient health systems globally. The partnership between PHE and NCDC would contribute to ensuring the world is much safer and less vulnerable from the threat of infectious diseases,” Arkwright said.

Also, speaking during the event, the Chief Executive of PHE, Mr Duncan Selbie, noted that recent cases of monkeypox in the UK highlighted the ease of movement of infectious diseases and reinforced the need to strengthen national public health institutes globally.

“The health strengthening project is very much a partnership and an invaluable opportunity for both countries to learn from each other. By working together and sharing expertise, both countries become stronger and that is our joint ultimate aim,” he said.

The health security strengthening programme is part of a £16m project funded by the UK Department of Health to support the capacities of national public health institutes in five countries. In Nigeria, the project will focus on the key pillars within the mandate of NCDC, including disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and response, public health laboratory services as well as workforce development.

In his address, the CEO of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the implementation of the programme in Nigeria would be coordinated by the agency

Culled from: Punch Newspaper