The Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor, on Monday welcomed a high-level delegation from the Fleming Fund, Mott MacDonald, and Management Sciences for Health, on a monitoring visit to assess progress on the implementation of the Fleming Fund Phase 2 Country Grant Project in Nigeria.
The delegation, led by Regional Director Adjo Mfodwo, visited the agency to evaluate the activities being undertaken under the project, which supports the Nigerian Government’s National Action Plan (NAP) Version 2 on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The project is being implemented by NESREA at its National Environmental Reference Laboratory in Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, Prof. Barikor highlighted key achievements under the project, including the provision of advanced laboratory equipment, installation of a 30Kva solar power system, surveillance of AMR hotspots within the Port Harcourt metropolis, and training of laboratory officers on AMR testing protocols.
He emphasized the critical connection between environmental factors and public health, noting that the project is already contributing to the generation of reliable environmental data on antimicrobial resistance, which will guide informed public health decisions.
“The Fleming Fund Project has strengthened our capacity to monitor and respond to AMR threats through environmental data,” he said. “We are committed to expanding this initiative to other strategic locations, including Lagos, Kano, and Abuja.”
The monitoring visit underscores the commitment of international partners to supporting Nigeria’s efforts in combating antimicrobial resistance through a multisectoral One Health approach.
