Nigeria, Austria sign MoU to promote public health

Nigeria, Austria sign MoU to promote public health

Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Austria to safeguard, promote and enhance public health.

The MoU, which is premised on equality and mutual benefits for both countries, focuses on health sector reform, public and private health organisations, health economic and health financing systems, as well as hospital management.

National health programmes

It also covers take care of communicable disease control and prevention, the implementation of national health programmes, particularly maternal and child health programmes, among others.

The agreement takes effect from the date of signature and remains effective for the first three years, which is renewable.

The Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, signed on behalf of the Nigerian Government while his Austrian counterpart, Alois Stoger, signed for his country at a ceremony in Vienna on Friday.

Both ministers pledged support to the total implementation of the articles of the memorandum.

Nigeria-Austria relations

Chukwu explained that Nigeria’s relations with the Austrian Government dated back to the 80s when the country established Maitama General Hospital in Abuja.

“They also worked with us through the FGN/VAMED Project to rehabilitate, upgrade and modernise facilities in 14 teaching hospitals.

“The first phase has been completed and we are in the second phase, two of which were recently commissioned in Ado Bayero University Teaching Hospital, Kano and Othman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, by President Jonathan,’’ Chukwu said.

Stoger told reporters that good health was an invaluable asset.

“Illness and impairment due to disease may reduce people’s quality of life to a considerable extent, especially if they have no access to adequate medical care,’’ he remarked.

The Nigerian Health Minister and his entourage also visited some health institutions in Austria, being managed or partly run by VAMED Engineering in a Public-Private-Partnership agreement with the Austrian Government.

NAN/Williams