U.S Invested $220m Toward Nigeria’s Fight Against Polio In 8 Years – Ambassador

The United States government has expressed excitement at Nigeria’s recent attainment of wild poliovirus-free status, saying the achievement was evidence of the working partnership between the federal government and its partners across the globe.

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, noted that the feat came after years of joint efforts between the American and Nigerian governments to delist the country from wild polio endemic countries.

In a statement made available to THE WHISTLER on Friday, Leonard said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were at the forefront of partnering with the country in its polio eradication efforts.

Leonard said the CDC and USAID invested about $150 million and $70 million, respectively, toward the country’s polio eradication efforts since 2012.

“We are proud of our partnership with Nigeria and cherish the cooperation that ensures the country has the technical expertise and resources required for success,” Leonard said at a recent town hall meeting with Embassy staff and polio eradication stakeholders in Abuja.

“No country could have achieved this great feat without the support of its partners,” said the ambassador.

Leonard also reaffirmed the U.S government’s commitment to continued partnership with the federal government to consolidate and build on the successes of the fight against polio in the country.

According to the ambassador, the U.S would continue to support Nigeria in the area of routine immunization to improve the health of children and their families.

Leonard expressed confidence that Nigeria would sustain the gains made in the polio eradication efforts, adding that the country must ensure that its disease surveillance system was sensitive enough to quickly detect and respond to diseases.