The United States has signed a five-year bilateral health agreement with Nigeria aimed at strengthening the country’s health system, with a focus on expanding faith-based healthcare services.
According to the US Department of State, the Memorandum of Understanding signed on December 20 commits nearly $2.1bn in US funding to support prevention and treatment programmes for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and polio.
Nigeria is also expected to increase its domestic health spending by nearly $3bn over the life of the agreement.
The agreement was announced by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott in a statement issued on Saturday.
The State Department said Nigeria’s financial commitment represents “the largest co-investment any country has made to date under the America First Global Health Strategy.”
“Today, the United States Department of State signed a five-year bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Republic of Nigeria to strengthen Nigeria’s health system, with a strong emphasis on promoting Christian faith-based health care providers.
“Under this MoU, the Department of State, working with Congress, intends to commit nearly $2.1bn to expand essential preventative and curative services for HIV, TB, malaria, maternal and child health and polio.
Additionally, Nigeria will increase its domestic health expenditures by nearly $3bn during the term of the MoU, the largest co-investment any country has made to date under the America First Global Health Strategy,” the statement from the department read.
According to the statement, the MoU is tied to recent reforms by the Nigerian government aimed at protecting Christian communities from violence.
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