The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, on Monday urged Nigeria to continue to invest in building resilient health systems as this will safeguard citizens and act as a strategy to bolster economic transformation in the nation.
According to a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Mr Symington made this call during a courtesy visit to the agency’s office in Abuja.
The statement said the visit which is meant to reinforce the role NCDC plays as Nigeria’s national public health institute, demonstrates a strong confidence in the long-standing relationship with the Nigerian government.
The visit also highlights the progress made in the prevention, detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks.
“The experience that I have had during my visit to the NCDC headquarters has shown me how things can be done efficiently in a public-sector organisation. I commend the NCDC for being a model for other national public health institutes on the continent,” Mr Symington said.
According to the statement, over the years, the U.S. Government has provided support to Nigeria for the prevention, detection, response and control of infectious diseases.
The statement also added that through the support of the U.S. Government, the NCDC has strengthened its capacity to contribute to global health security.
According to the statement, Mr Symington also reinforced the United States government’s leadership and commitment to the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) whose goal is to support countries to strengthen their ability to prevent and respond to epidemics.
Meanwhile, according to the release, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, also hosted the ambassador alongside the NCDC Chief Executive Officer, Chikwe Ihekweazu.
The NCDC chief briefed the ambassador on his agency’s key achievements, current challenges and priorities for the future.
In his remarks, Mr Adewole applauded Mr Symington’s visitation and said it would serve as a landmark the agency.