The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, has urged the United States to sustain its support towards strengthening the medical capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
This was contained in a statement signed by his personal assistant on Media Ahmad Dan-Wudil and made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday.
Matawalle made the appeal on Monday while receiving a delegation from the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command at the Ministry of Defence, Ship House, Abuja.
The delegation, led by the Commanding General, Major General Paula C. Lodi, was in Nigeria to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Nigerian Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme (MODHIP) and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa (WRAIR Africa).
Lodi expressed gratitude to the minister and the Director-General of MODHIP, Brigadier General Solebo, for their commitment in sustaining the collaboration.
She said the partnership had remained vital in advancing military healthcare research and strengthening medical interventions in Nigeria.
Responding, Matawalle hailed the United States for its enduring partnership with Nigeria, stressing that such collaborations continued to bolster the country’s defence health system.
“Nigeria and the United States share a strong and enduring relationship, and this bond continues to grow even stronger through collaborations like MODHIP and WRAIR Africa,” he said.
The minister particularly appealed for more U.S. assistance in human capital development, which he said would further enhance the skills of Nigerian medical professionals.
He also commended Solebo for his leadership in driving MODHIP’s success.
During their visit, the U.S. team is expected to tour the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with medical personnel and assess ongoing projects.
Other members of the delegation include Shannon Lucy, Director WRAIR – Africa; Monnet Bushner, Command Sergeant Major MRAIR; Ashleigh Roberds, Major XO to Commanding General; Sandhya Vasan, VPHJF Global ID (USA); Helina Meri, Country Director WRAIR – Nigeria; Zubairu Aliyu Elayo, Acting Director HJFMRI; and Yakubu Adamu, Deputy Country Director, WRAIR – Africa-Nigeria.