The World Health Organisation has handed over eight (8) utility vehicles to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under the Strengthening and Utilising Response Groups for Emergencies (SURGE) initiative.
The vehicles are intended to improve the mobility and rapid deployment capacity of emergency teams in the FCT.
Speaking during the handover ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, emphasised the urgency of enhancing emergency response systems across Africa, which faces over 100 health emergencies each year.
He said the vehicles are not just donations, they are investments in resilience, saying they will help in ensuring that critical personnel, supplies, and resources can reach affected communities swiftly and efficiently during health crises.
Dr. Mulombo highlighted that the FCT is one of six states selected to pioneer the SURGE flagship project in Nigeria.
The initiative, developed by WHO’s Regional Office for Africa, focuses on four key pillars including workforce development, response coordination, operations and logistics, and risk communication.
WHO pledged continued technical and logistical support to the FCT and other regions implementing the SURGE initiative, reinforcing its commitment to a stronger, more responsive health system across Nigeria.
Receiving the vehicles, the FCT Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, reaffirmed the critical importance of disease surveillance in protecting communities.
“Surveillance is the backbone of public health. It enables early detection, swift response, and prevention of disease outbreaks. We must continue to strengthen our systems through collaboration, technology, and data-driven decision-making,” she said.
Dr. Fasawe noted that the new vehicles would enhance the FCT’s surveillance and emergency response efforts, especially in hard-to-reach areas, thereby safeguarding public health.
