By Tope Oke
The government of Japan has offered an appromimately $9.4 million for the provision of medical equipment.
Top government officials from both countries have already signed and exchanged notes to formalise the grant.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba signed for Nigeria while Japan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nigeria, Mr Kikuta Yutaka, signed for his country.
The Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister, Sufuyan Ojeifo, quoted both Minister Agba and Ambassador Yutaka to have said in their notes that the medical equipment funding project would contribute to strengthening the medical system in Nigeria through the provision of ambulances and Computerized Tomography (CT) scanners.
He further stated that both men said that the bilateral cooperation “is part of Japan’s contribution to the expansion of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the promotion of Africa Health and Wellbeing Initiative, which Japan expressed during Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7)”.
TICAD7 held from 28th-30th August, 2019 at Pacifico Yokohama, Yokohama city, Japan, with more than 10,000 people, including 42 African leaders from 53 countries, 52 development partner countries, 108 heads of international and regional organisations, and representatives of civil society and the private sector in attendance.
The government of Japan has led this conference since 1993, co-hosted by the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank and African Union Commission (AUC).
Ambassador Yutaka said that Japan remained committed to supporting developing countries’ effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which, according to him, had posed a serious threat to human security globally.
He also stated that Japan remained focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), including the universal health coverage.
