We didn’t advocate $200m loan for malaria nets — NPHCDA

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has rubbished reports that it demanded a $200 million loan for the importation and local production of mosquito nets in the country.

In a statement through Mohammad Ohitoto, Head, Public Relations Unit, today, the agency said its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, never discussed nor granted an interview on the malaria programme.

Recall that the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans had yesterday rejected the proposal by the Federal Ministry of Health to borrow $200m under the Malaria Programme to buy mosquito nets in the 2022 budget.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mahmuda Mamman, had justified the proposal before the panel.

He said, “The loan , if approved by the National Assembly and accessed, will be used to medically fight malaria in the 13 orphan states which cover 208 local government Councils and 3, 536 primary health care centres “,

But Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe and other lawmakers rejected the proposal.

In reaction, the NPHCDA said it has no business with the malaria programme, noting that it is the responsibility of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (FMOH).

“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,” the statement said.

“This is to inform Nigerians that this statement is not only untrue, it is 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 (FMOH). 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”.