In order to maintain a successful unlisting of Nigeria from the group of polio-endemic countries, and also ensure a global level standard of surveillance, the Dangote Foundation in conjunction with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have extended their existing partnership on routine immunization in Kano and Bauchi state to four additional states which included Borno, Kaduna, Yobe and Sokoto.
The Chief Executive officer of Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, speaking on the benefits of the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, stated the need to keep up the success through routine immunization, was to see that the trend of polio is not reversed.
Nigeria needs to go through July 2017 without any case anywhere in the country to be declared polio free therefore; surveillance must be maintained at global-level standards in order not to miss a thing.
Pointing out that strengthening routine immunization takes sustained financial and human resource commitment, hinted that a total of $42 million has been set aside for 2013-2018 with Dangote Foundation and the Gates Foundation contributing $14 million each while the remaining six states jointly provided the balance of $14 million.
Dangote Foundation and BMGF’s founding will support the purchase of cold chain equipments while the states have committed to releasing funds to support the installation, operation and maintenance of equipment.
