UN Nigeria Strengthens COVID-19 Containment and Care, Mobilises $2 Million for Essential Medical Supplies to support Nigerian Government

Against the backdrop of global lockdown necessitated by Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on trades and global economy, the United Nations system in Nigeria has mobilised the sum of two million United States Dollars ($2 million) to procure essential medical supplies in support of Nigerian Government’s efforts at containing COVID-19 and adequately caring for confirmed cases.

This was disclosed by the UN Resident-Coordinator Edward Kallon, while engaging with the ‘National Leadership on COVID-19’ led by the Hon. Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; representative of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19; representative of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); and the representative of The World Bank.

“The United Nations system in Nigeria will support rapid procurement of disease commodity packages for surveillance, prevention and control, and clinical management.” He disclosed, “The United Nations will support the Government of Nigeria to immediately set up a Nigeria COVID-19 Response Fund,” which according to him, will act as ‘a single national platform and financing framework that will coordinate partnerships and mobilise resources and strategies for effective and impactful response.

Mr Kallon noted that this gesture was part of the collective United Nations strategy to amplify Government’s efforts to respond to COVID-19, and a recognition that a collaborative engagement is urgently required in view of the multifaceted nature of the virus and the implications to socio-economic situation in Nigeria.

The Hon. Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, thanked the UN system for their support and assured that the government would ensure that resources are deployed to where most needed while the Federal Ministry of Health was fired up for the best scenario and ready for the worst situation.

He emphasised that the government would continue to follow the containment strategy it has in place.