The Rotary International president, Gordon McLnally, will be on a three-day working visit to Nigeria starting Friday with a fresh donation of $7 million for the eradication and prevention of diseases.
The latest grant is in addition to the $14 million given by Rotary about two months ago, through the World Health Organization (WHO) to Nigeria for technical assistance on polio surveillance.
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Nigeria is also an awardee of Rotary’s $2 million grant for the improvement of maternal and child health.
There were indications that McLnally may have an audience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on other areas of assistance, on disease control and child and maternal health.
According to a statement by the coordinator of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Prof. Emmanuel Dolapo Lufadeju, and the co-coordinator, Dr. Goddy Nnadi, the visit would enhance the ties between the federal government and the Rotary International.
The statement said, “Rotary International is a non-governmental foremost humanitarian organisation with over 1.5 million members worldwide. It enjoys diplomatic status and sits at the United Nations as observer since 1948. The organization has been instrumental to the eradication of Polio in Nigeria.
“This visit is to cement the already existing bond between the Federal Government of Nigeria, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), and other stakeholders.
“Nigeria is the awardee of the 2nd ‘Programme of Scale (PoS), a $2 million grant, for the improvement of Maternal and Child Health code named Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria.’
“Also, recently, a new grant amounting to $14 million was given by Rotary, through the WHO, to the Government of Nigeria, to enable the WHO to provide technical assistance on polio surveillance.
‘The grant was also a support to avert a resurgence of wild polio as well as to eradicate the Circulating Variant Poliovirus Type 2 (CVPVD2) in the country.
“Another $7 million is to be donated by Rotary to UNICEF for eradication and disease prevention in Nigeria.
“It is important to note that Rotarians are actively involved in the implementation of all Rotary projects in Nigeria, working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, the State Ministries of Health and other national and international partners.”
The statement explained why Nigeria was a priority nation to Rotary International.
The statement added, “Nigeria is a priority country in Africa and indeed in the world for Rotary International.
“The country has four districts and because of the phenomenal growth of membership, the Rotary Districts in Nigeria will increase to six by July 1, 2024, making it the country with the highest number of districts in Africa as well as the highest contribution in Humanitarian Giving in the Africa Zone.
“The country is duly recognised by being given the longest duration of Rotary International President’s visit in his Africa Hope Tour.”