AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja
Nigeria, European Union (EU) and World Health Organisation (WHO), have launched a €4.2 million programme in order to strengthen Nigeria’s public health institutions and improve the country’s preparedness for disease outbreaks.
The initiative, tagged EU Support to Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EU SPIN), will be implemented over a four-year period by the WHO in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Expected to enhance the capacity of selected public health institutions to detect outbreaks early, the programme is to improve information sharing and reduce the impact of poor health outcomes across the country.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, who spoke at the launch of the programme in Abuja on Monday, described the intervention as a major boost to Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.
He said: “This initiative is designed to strengthen our health institutions, and it is truly a welcome development. It will improve the well-being of Nigerians, especially our vulnerable populations.”
Salako commended the European Union and WHO for supporting Nigeria’s healthcare reforms, noting that the programme aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on healthcare and social development.
Nigeria continues to face recurrent outbreaks of infectious diseases including cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever, meningitis and Mpox, alongside a growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
According to WHO data, non-communicable diseases account for about 27 per cent of deaths in Nigeria, while malaria contributes approximately 30 per cent of global malaria-related deaths.
The EU SPIN initiative is expected to strengthen institutional coordination, support real-time data-sharing systems and improve digital skills among public health workers, with a target of training 75 per cent of the workforce involved in outbreak prevention and response.
European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignon, said the intervention reflects the EU’s commitment to supporting stronger and digitally enabled public health systems in Nigeria.
“Through EU SPIN, the European Union is investing in strong, digitally enabled public health institutions in Nigeria. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to health security and sustainable systems strengthening,” he said.
Speaking also, WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, noted that the programme would improve coordination, technical capacity and digital tools required for effective outbreak response.
“By improving coordination, skills and digital tools, the project will help protect lives and keep communities healthier,” Ursu said.
The initiative will also strengthen the integration of public health systems with primary healthcare and community-based services to improve response at grassroots level.
Stakeholders noted that the programme is expected to support improved health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations including women, children, internally displaced persons, the elderly and persons living with disabilities.
By 2028, the programme is expected to contribute to improved inter-institutional coordination, clearer operational responsibilities and more reliable public health data across federal, state and local government levels.
Officials said progress under the initiative would be monitored through national evaluation systems with periodic reviews involving government agencies and development partners.
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