Nigeria, EU, WHO Launch €4.2M Project to Strengthen Public Health Institutes
_–Nigeria Prioritizes Core Pillars of Health Sector Strategic Blueprint – Salako_
Nigeria has described the EU-WHO Support to Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EUSPIN) project as a laudable initiative that complements government efforts to reinforce institutional capacity, improve data use, and support sustainable system-wide impact.
The Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, made this statement in his keynote address during the launch of the EU-WHO Support To Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EUSPIN) held recently in Abuja.
The €4.2 million initiative, funded by the European Union and to be jointly implemented by WHO and the Federal Government through the Ministry, aims to strengthen core functions of selected public health institutes to detect outbreaks early, share information faster, and reduce the negative impact of poor health outcomes nationwide.
He noted that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who recognizes health as central to national development and prosperity.
In a statement, Ado Bako, the Ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations disclosed that Dr. Salako added that the transformational agenda is hinged on equitable access to quality healthcare and healthy citizens as ingredients for economic resilience, inclusive growth, and prosperity for all.
Citing government-owned health infrastructure — over 30,000 primary healthcare centres, 4,000 secondary facilities, and more than 200 tertiary institutions — he reaffirmed that they are essential but insufficient without strategies for coordination, prevention, early warning, and prompt outbreak response.
The Minister reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to a strong, resilient, and people-centred system that delivers measurable impact. “The Federal Government remains firmly committed to the core pillars of the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint.”
Dr. Salako said government will continue to:
– Improve health security and emergency preparedness, including surveillance and response systems
– Expand access to quality, equitable, and integrated health services, particularly for vulnerable populations
– Develop a skilled, motivated, and adequately distributed health workforce
– Enhance health information systems and digital transformation for data-driven decision-making
– Promote sustainable health financing and efficient use of resources
The Minister expects the project to enhance national public health institutions’ capacity to deliver core functions, strengthen coordination across all levels of government, improve data generation and use for policymaking, increase digital health capacity and innovation, and support efforts to ensure adequate power supply to health institutions.
Dr. Salako expressed appreciation to the European Union, WHO, and all Team Europe partners for their continued partnership and commitment to Nigeria’s health sector. He called on stakeholders — federal and state institutions, development partners, academia, and civil society — to collaborate for effective implementation, leverage the initiative for broader health reforms, and maintain a strong focus on equity and inclusion.
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