The Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA) has formalized a partnership with the END FUND through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening the state’s response to Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
The agreement was signed on the 20th of April 2026, at the office of the Executive Secretary of EDSPHCDA, Dr. Coulson Oahimire Osoikhia, in Benin City. The event was witnessed by a State Counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Osakpolor Osarenotor Esq who provided legal support on behalf of the State. Others present were the Director of Disease Control and Immunization, Dr. Efeomon Eseigbe; the State NTD Coordinator, Mrs. Happy Poko; the NTD Data Manager, Mr. Kingsley Ikhide; the Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Nosa Oreye; and the Associate Director, End Fund, Mr. Moses Aderogba.
Under the terms of the agreement, the agency, which is responsible for the coordination, management, and delivery of primary healthcare services across the state, will work closely with the END FUND, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to ending NTDs, to establish an integrated evidence-based response to the prevention, control, and elimination of preventive chemotherapy (PC) in Edo State.
The partnership will also focus on building human resource capacity through targeted training, mentorship, and technical support for health workers and program managers involved in NTD interventions.
A major component of the agreement also includes improving disease surveillance, reporting systems, and data utilization by integrating NTD program data into national and state health information platforms. This is expected to enhance data quality, timeliness, and evidence-based decision-making and will further enable more precise planning, stronger accountability, and measurable outcomes in the fight against NTDs.