The Federal Government has signed an $18.2 million agreement with Japan to strengthen the network of laboratories of Nigeria’s Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
Minister of State, Budget and National Planning (MBNP), Clem Agba, signed the agreement to strengthen the capacity of network laboratories of Nigeria Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) for accurate laboratory and medical investigations.
Director Information of MBNP, Victoria Agba-Attah disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.
The Minister lauded the Japanese government for fulfilling the promise made by its Prime minister, Shinzo Abe, to Nigeria at the TICAD 7 Conference, Tokyo, Japan in 2019.
The minister lauded Japan for the timely signing of the agreement, “especially now that the COVID-19 has become a global concern and every country is doing its best to protect its territory and citizenry.
“The initiative will help in complementing the efforts of the Nigerian government in the fight against infectious diseases,” he said.
Agba reassured the Japanese Ambassador of Nigeria’s commitment to creating an enabling environment to sustain the relationship between the two countries in achieving sustainable economic development for Nigeria.
Also, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yutaka Kikuta, while signing, said that the agreement would support the NCDC to strengthen its surveillance system of infectious diseases and improve capacities for early response to public concerns in the country.
Kikuta said that the project involved the construction of a Central Public Health laboratory in Lagos as well as the procurement of necessary equipment to eight laboratories.
Source: VON
