NPHCDA denies requesting $200m loan to acquire mosquito nets

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Wednesday dismissed reports that it requested a $200 million loan to acquire mosquito nets in the country.

The NPHCDA Executive Director, Faisal Shuaib, had on Tuesday told the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans that the loan was required by the Federal Government for the purchase of mosquito nets in Nigeria and abroad.

He said the World Bank mandated Nigeria to buy the nets from a specific producer.

However, the committee rejected the proposal presented by the Ministry of Health.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, who is also a member of the committee on local and foreign debt, dismissed the move as a misplaced priority.

He told the ministry’s officials that it was unacceptable that the World Bank would dictate to Nigeria where to buy mosquito nets.

READ ALSO: Police arrests seven health workers for alleged diversion of mosquito nets in Gombe

The NPHCDA Head of Public Relations, Mohammad Ohitoto, who reacted to the report in a statement, said the agency was not in charge of the malaria programme, and therefore, has no reason to intervene in its funding.

The statement read: “The attention of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency has been drawn to an online publication quoting the ED/CEO NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib as advocating for a $200 million loan for the importation and local production of mosquito nets in the country.

“This is to inform Nigerians that this statement is not only untrue, but it is also a figment of the imagination of the writer as the CEO never discussed the malaria programme nor granted any interview on the malaria programme.

“It is pertinent to state that the Malaria programme is the responsibility of the National Malaria Elimination Programme.

“Therefore, the NPHCDA Chief Executive has no reason whatsoever to discuss or advocate for funding for such intervention.

“This news is outrightly unfounded and fake and should be disregarded by all well-meaning Nigerians.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now