Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) World Food Program (WFP) have donated 52 metric tons of medical equipment to the Federal Government.
The donation by the UN and EU to Nigeria is part of the cooperation on three EU Humanitarian Air Bridge flights to Nigeria.
In a joint statement issued in Abuja, the UN and the EU said a total number of 7.9 million people in the northeast were in need of urgent humanitarian aid.
While noting that the COVID-19 pandemic risked exacerbating humanitarian needs, the UN and EU added that humanitarians have already scaled up their response in reaction to the new challenges.
‘The European Union (EU) and the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) have cooperated on three EU Humanitarian Air Bridge (EU HAB) flights destined for Abuja, transporting 52 metric tons of medical equipment and vital health supplies to support the COVID-19 response in Nigeria.
‘The COVID-19 pandemic risks exacerbating humanitarian needs, also in Nigeria, where there are 7.9 million people in need of urgent humanitarian aid in the North-East.
‘Humanitarians have already scaled up their response in reaction to the new challenges, and in line with the national COVID-19 Response Plan, through medical case management, setting up hand washing stations, quarantine shelters, and providing food assistance to people in need,’ the UN and EU said.
Speaking on the development, EU’s Head of Humanitarian Aid Operations Office in Nigeria, Thomas Conan, said: ‘It is in all our interest to come together in an urgent and coordinated response to this pandemic and it is in this spirit that the EU and WFP are cooperating to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Nigeria, and other parts of the world, in these challenging times. This urgently needed humanitarian cargo is paramount to help prevent, contain and treat COVID-19 which threatens every country’s population worldwide.’
WFP Representative and Country Director in Nigeria Paul Howe also said: ‘I am very pleased with the collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the EU at this difficult time to bring in supplies to support the wider efforts to address COVID-19.’