The government of Japan has extended a funding assistance of 1 billion Japanese Yen (approximately USD$9.4m) to Nigeria for the provision of medical equipment.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba and Japan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nigeria, Mr Kikuta Yutaka, have signed and exchanged notes in Abuja in respect of the grant.
The medical equipment funding project, as expected, would contribute to strengthening the medical system in Nigeria through the provision of ambulances and Computerized Tomography (CT) scanners.
The bilateral cooperation, according to Minister Agba and Ambassador Yutaka, “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.
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