Cuba offers to tackle malaria in FCT

The Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero, has offered her country’s readiness to support government’s  efforts to tackle malaria in Nigeria.

The envoy specifically offered her country’s desire to support the efforts to fight malaria by the FCT Administration in the nation’s capital, which she described as the host of many foreign embassies in the country.

The ambassador made the promise Thursday when she visited the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, in his office.

She said Cuba, through  Labiofam, a Cuban-based pharmaceutical company, had developed a single anti malaria dose, which can also be used for some other diseases.

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She said Nigeria had signed agreement with the company in 2016 as part of efforts to eliminate malarial.

The ambassador, who traced the historical link between her country and African countries and Nigeria especially, also offered to partner with the FCT Administration in the area of agriculture, tourism and job creation.

She invited the Minister to her country for him to see the achievements made so far by Cuba and see first hand, the areas he will be needing collaborations.

“We are inviting the minister to come to Cuba to see what we have achieved in the area of agriculture, health, tourism. With this, you will see by yourself and look at the many areas we can collaborate,’’ the ambassador offered.

Responding, the minister, Nyesom Wike, thanked the ambassador for the visit and assured the Administration’s readiness to partner the country, which he said had an historically link with African and Nigeria especially in the interest of the people of the territory.

He directed the FCT Health Secretariat to liaise with the representative of the malarial company to see how the FCT could benefit from the partnership on malaria treatment.

The minister also informed the ambassador that the nation’s capital has enough  arable lands for agriculture, adding that the administration would support any genuine collaboration that would ensure the development of the sector.

The minister said, “I don’t believe in signing Memorandum of Understanding for signing sake. I am always interested on how the implementation will follow. ‘’