Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched Grand Challenges Nigeria (GCNg), a national innovation program designed to transform Nigeria’s healthcare landscape through locally developed solutions.
The initiative, which is part of the global Grand Challenges network, will focus on maternal and child health in its first phase.
Speaking at the launch on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Vice President Shettima emphasized the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s health challenges in the context of the rapidly evolving global scientific and technological landscape.
He highlighted the importance of developing solutions tailored to Nigeria’s specific needs, which aligns with the broader vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Shettima noted that the program would not only promote groundbreaking research but also build local expertise, forge strategic partnerships, and engage communities in co-creating culturally relevant solutions. He emphasized that GCNg aims to be transformative by ensuring better maternal, newborn, and child health, improving nutrition, and enhancing the quality of healthcare across Nigeria.
The initiative will complement existing government healthcare programs, such as the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and the Nutrition 774 programme.
VP Shettima also announced an immediate call for proposals focused on advancing innovative solutions for maternal, newborn, and child health. He stressed that the program would address a wide range of challenges, including infectious diseases, food security, and climate resilience.
Shettima expressed confidence that Nigeria’s brightest minds would drive the innovative solutions needed to improve public health.
In his remarks, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, echoed the Vice President’s sentiment, stating that GCNg is focused on developing local solutions to critical challenges faced by Nigerians.
CREDIT: Allneeds, THE NATION
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