Bill Gates, the Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Tuesday elucidated why Nigeria receives the largest share of intervention funds allotted by the foundation in Africa.
Gates made this remark while sp[eaking in an interview with selected journalists on the sidelines of the 2024 NutriVision Dialogue in Abuja.
He said, “We spend a lot in Asia, but we spend even more in Africa. The country where we spend the most in Africa is Nigeria.
“That makes sense because of the population and the incredible needs that are here. That means that I’ve literally spent billions in Nigeria.
I’m glad that things like the child mortality rate have come down, but we could do a lot better.”
Gates emphasised that reducing global health inequality and eradicating measles, malaria, and polio are top priorities for the foundation. He also mentioned that the foundation plans to increase its spending in the future, with a focus on improving primary healthcare.
“Our work is almost entirely focused on primary healthcare because the impact per dollar is dramatically greater than anywhere else,” he said.
Recall New Telegraph reported that upon his visit to Nigeria on Tuesday, Gates will be meeting with national and local leaders, partners, grantees, and innovators.
A statement from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Abuja said, Gates alongside other foundation leaders, will meet with experts in primary health care, agriculture, and nutrition who are driving progress across the continent, despite economic challenges.
The foundation has committed more than $7 billion through 2026 to support African countries and institutions working to develop and implement innovative approaches to confront hunger, disease, gender inequality, and poverty.
The foundation works with African governments, the private sector, non-profit organizations and civil society to improve health outcomes, boost agricultural productivity, expand access to digital financial services, and empower women and other marginalized populations with greater economic opportunities.