The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has revealed that the country is currently grappling with multiple infectious disease outbreaks across all six geopolitical zones. According to the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, the diseases include diphtheria, cholera, Lassa fever, and measles. These outbreaks are further complicated by climate-related and humanitarian emergencies, as well as broader structural factors such as population mobility, rapid urbanization, and pressure on health systems.
Dr. Idris made this disclosure during a three-day Stakeholder Workshop on Preparedness and Response to Public Health Emergencies, organized by the NCDC in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The workshop aims to examine Nigeria’s preparedness and response systems, identify bottlenecks, and strengthen coherence across frameworks, institutions, and investments.
The NCDC boss emphasized that preparedness is not defined by the absence of outbreaks, but by the capacity to anticipate risk, detect threats early, and respond in a timely and effective manner. He highlighted the centre’s role as Nigeria’s national public health institute, established by law in 2018, to provide technical leadership for the prevention, detection, and response to public health threats.
Nigeria has made significant investments to enhance its emergency preparedness, including the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and the adoption of the National Action Plan for Health Security 2.0. However, persistent challenges remain, particularly in coordination across sectors, data integration, logistics, workforce readiness, and sustainable financing.
The three-day workshop is designed to provide a technical and policy-oriented platform for stakeholders to engage with intellectual honesty and technical depth. The success of the meeting will be measured by its ability to produce an actionable, nationally owned roadmap to strengthen early detection, improve response coordination, and enhance resilience at both national and sub-national levels.
The ongoing outbreaks in Nigeria underscore the need for a robust and coordinated response to public health emergencies. The NCDC’s efforts to strengthen the country’s health security architecture are crucial in mitigating the impact of these outbreaks and ensuring the well-being of Nigerians. As the workshop progresses, it is expected that stakeholders will work together to identify solutions to the challenges facing the country’s health system and develop a comprehensive plan to enhance preparedness and response to public health emergencies.
