MINISTER MATAWALLE WELCOMES U.S. ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DELEGATION

…appealed for continued U.S. support to further strengthen the Nigerian Armed Forces’ medical capabilities.

The Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, has welcomed a delegation from the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command on a courtesy visit to his office at the Ministry of Defence, Ship House, Abuja.

The delegation was led by the Commanding General of the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command, Major General Paula C. Lodi. She stated that the team is in Nigeria to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the partnership between the Nigerian Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme (MODHIP) and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa (WRAIR Africa).

Major General Lodi also expressed appreciation to Minister Matawalle and the Director General of MODHIP, Brigadier General Solebo, for their roles in sustaining this important partnership.

The Minister, thanked the delegation and the United States for the ongoing collaboration. “Nigeria and the United States share a strong and enduring relationship, and this bond continues to grow even stronger through collaborations like MODHIP and WRAIR Africa,” he said. He called for the continuation and expansion of the partnership, particularly in the area of human capital development to bolster the expertise of Nigerian medical professionals.

According to the Minister, “Brigadier General Solebo is performing extremely well in steering MODHIP. His leadership has been instrumental in maintaining and ensuring the success of this partnership.” He also appealed for continued U.S. support to further strengthen the Nigerian Armed Forces’ medical capabilities.

As part of their visit, the U.S. delegation will also visit the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to engage with medical personnel and assess ongoing collaborative pro