WHO’s contribution to the end poverty and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals

With its objective of ensuring the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health, WHO supports Government to implement programmes through its technical, intellectual and policy leadership in health matters. It adopts a broad approach to health within the context of human development, humanitarian action and human rights, focusing particularly on the links between health and poverty reduction. WHO assists in strengthening the health systems
and fighting against those diseases which have a link with poverty.

Three of the Millennium Development Goals (4, 5, and 6) are specifically on health. WHO contributes to the achievement of these and other related goals, by working with Governments and other stakeholders through advocacy, provision of policies and guidelines, evidence generation and resource mobilization.


WHO in Nigeria

Nigeria became a member of the World Health Organization in 1960 and signed the Basic Agreement in 1962. Since then, WHO has worked in close collaboration with the Nigerian government, to establish a wide array of collaborative programmes.

Apart from its Country Office located in the United Nations House, Abuja, WHO operates a network of offices established in each of the 36 states of the country and the FCT, to provide appropriate technical support to States and Local Government Areas (LGAs). This has improved collaboration with stakeholders and partners.

The office operates on the basis of a biennial programme of cooperation which takes into account, national health priorities as well as WHO Global and Regional orientations. Using funds from regular and extra budgetary allocations, WHO Nigeria has intensified its cooperation with Government in the areas of:

• Disease prevention, control and eradication, particularly vaccine preventable diseases, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and epidemic prevention and control.
  
• Health systems and community health, with a special focus on child and maternal survival.
  
• Sustainable development and healthy environment, with a focus on school health and promoting healthy lifestyles.
  
• Social change and mental health.
  
• Health technology and pharmaceuticals, with a focus on pro-poor drug policies.
  
• Evidence and information for policy, including studies on the economic burden of diseases.

Media contact: Austine Oghide, Health Information and Promotion Officer,

Tel: 08034022390, E-mail: oghidea@ng.afro.who.int

WHO website