WHO Signs $2.26m Deal with TY Danjuma Foundation on Local Health Financing

OnyebuchiEzigbo in Abuja

World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria Country Office, and TY Danjuma Foundation, have launched a transformative partnership to strengthen Nigeria’s health system.

The package involves a 10-year flexible grant of $2.26 million.

The collaboration focuses on improving primary healthcare, advancing maternal and child health and building resilience for health emergencies.

Speaking during the signing of the partnership agreement at the United Nations House in Abuja on Monday, Country Director of WHO, Dr. Walter KazadiMulombo, said the “partnership has the potential to serve as a model for local philanthropy-led health investments to grow in Nigeria and mobilise additional philanthropists and private sector entities to contribute to the national health initiatives”.

Mulombo stated, “Today, the TY Danjuma Foundation (TYDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria Country Office, have established a landmark partnership to advance public health outcomes in Nigeria.

“This includes strengthening primary health care, improving maternal and child health and building more resilient health systems at the sub-national level.”

Molumbo said the collaboration, which came amid shifting global health financing landscapes, represented a powerful model of domestic philanthropy supporting national health priorities and offered a promising model for local resource mobilisation in Africa.

He said, “Together, we aim to enhance access to essential health services, particularly for vulnerable populations in the underserved areas, while supporting Nigeria’s national health priorities and progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3 ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all.” 

Key areas of the partnership include strengthening primary health care, and enhancing access to quality health services in rural and hard-to-reach areas by supporting frontline facilities and community health workers.

It will also address maternal and child health, implement targeted interventions to reduce preventable maternal and child mortality, and improve care quality and promote healthy outcomes.

Another area of focus is the health system resilience, which aims at building local capacity for disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and effective response to outbreaks and health threats.

While speaking at the brief ceremony, General TY Danjuma (rtd) said the provision of the grant was in response to the decision of the United States government to withdraw its funding support for WHO, thereby threatening its ability to continue to implement various healthcare intervention programmes.

The retired army general, who signed on behalf of the foundation, said he decided to set aside a portion of his wealth to give back to the society.

He recalled his childhood days when access to health facilities was a major challenge.

Danjuma said his early childhood experiences regarding the challenges that people in his community faced with non-communicable diseases motivated him to venture into philanthropy in the health sector.

He urged Nigerians, especially young people, to develop the act of giving and helping others in the society.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Mohammad Pate, who was represented by Director, Pubic Health Department at the ministry, Dr. Godwin Ntador, said the signing of the deal with TY Danjuma Foundation marked the beginning of another innovative financing package for the health sector.

He commended TY Danjuma Foundation for the enormous role and support the organisation had played in health system strengthening in Nigeria.

“TY Danjuma Foundation has over the years worked to build institutional capacity of groups, support innovations and ensure that funding provided meets the need of the target beneficiaries and culturally relevant, among others,” he said.

In her goodwill message, wife of the president, Senator OluremiTinubu, represented by the Imo State governor’s wife, Mrs. ChiomaUzodinma, praised the trailblazing effort by TY Danjuma Foundation in supporting WHO with the grant.

She said her office was making similar interventions through the Renewed Hope Healthcare Programme.