A loan of $125 million has been granted to the Federal Government by the World Bank to tackle fresh cases of polio and other health challenges in the country, according to Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
Adewole made this known while briefing the Senate Committee on Primary Health and Communicable Diseases on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister said that with approval of the National Assembly, $60 million would be earmarked for polio, while the remaining $65 million would be used for the procurement of vaccines.
He also disclosed that N10 billion had been released by the Federal Government from the 2016 budget to tackle the epidemic.
SEE: FG Earmarks N9.8bn To Fight Polio, Set To Immunize 56 million Chilldren
While decrying the fresh outbreak, the minister said that about N30 billion would be required to tackle the menace.
He said that following the outbreak, no fewer than 800,000 children under the age of five years had been immunised in five local government areas in Borno.
He said the local government areas, which had a population of about one million people were Jere, Gwoza, Mafa, Maiduguri Municipality and Bama.
