Nigeria, Japan Sign $18.2m Grant on Disease Control

• Nigeria, Japan Sign $18.2m Grant on Disease Control

The Federal Government and Japanese government have signed a grant agreement of $18.2 million to strengthen the capacity of network laboratories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

Clem Agba, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, said the move is to improve and ensure accurate medical and laboratory investigations in Nigeria.

The minister, who signed on behalf of the Nigerian government, commended the Japanese government for fulfilling Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s promise to Nigeria.

Agba added that the initiative would complement the efforts of the government in the fight against diseases.

Mr Yutaka Kikuta, who signed on behalf of the Japanese government, assured Nigeria of Japan’s commitment to the nation’s growth and determination to create an enabling environment to sustain the relationship between the two nations.

Kikuta said “the grant agreement was to support the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to strengthen its surveillance of infectious diseases and improve its capacity for early responses to public health concerns in Nigeria.”