EU, WHO Launch €4.2m Initiative To Strengthen Nigeria’s Outbreak Response
As disease outbreaks continue to strain Nigeria’s fragile health system, the Federal Government, alongside the European Union and the World Health Organisation, has launched a major initiative to improve the country’s ability to detect and respond to public health threats more effectively.
The programme, known as the EU Support to Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EU SPIN), was unveiled in Abuja with a €4.2 million investment to strengthen health institutions, improve disease surveillance, boost digital health systems and enhance emergency preparedness across the country.
Speaking at the launch, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, described the initiative as timely, noting that Nigeria is currently battling multiple disease outbreaks, including Lassa fever, cholera, diphtheria, and meningitis, while other illnesses such as dengue fever, measles, Mpox, and yellow fever remain under close surveillance.
He revealed that despite progress in polio eradication, outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus persist in parts of Northern Nigeria, while low immunisation coverage remains a concern, with 31 per cent of children aged 12 to 23 months yet to receive any vaccination.
According to him, the EU SPIN project will strengthen public health institutions at national and sub-national levels, improve coordination among agencies, support workforce development and expand the use of digital tools for real-time data sharing and decision-making.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to equitable healthcare and improved wellbeing for vulnerable populations.
Also speaking, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s health security through digitally enabled public health institutions.
The four-year programme is expected to improve coordination across federal, state and local health systems by 2028, while helping Nigeria build stronger resilience against future epidemics and health emergencies.
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