The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has called on state governments to make strategic investments in health security, workforce retention, and climate-resilient systems to strengthen emergency preparedness across the country.
Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, made the call during the unveiling of the State Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan, organised under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The event, attended by state health commissioners, partners, and stakeholders, marked the official launch of the EPR Plan—described as a vital roadmap to enhance health security across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Dr Idris emphasised the need for states to focus on high-impact, realistic interventions within available resources to avoid overstretching capacity and ensure sustainable public health progress. He expressed concern over the shortage of skilled health workers, noting that NCDC’s workforce had reduced from about 500 to under 400 due to migration.
He urged states to improve staff welfare and introduce retention incentives, advising commissioners to make strong cases to their governors on the importance of supporting health professionals.
“Public health workers are the backbone of preparedness and must be protected,” Dr Idris said.
He further described the EPR Plan as a strategic framework that strengthens collaboration between the national and state levels to promote shared accountability, readiness, and sustainable health protection nationwide.
Highlighting state-level experiences, Borno State Commissioner for Health, Professor Baba Mallam Gana, recalled how the 2023 Maiduguri floods submerged the state’s cold-chain facility, displacing over a million people and disrupting essential services. He said the state has since built elevated cold-chain infrastructure and a backup system through its Drugs and Medical Supply Agency to bolster resilience. Gana encouraged other flood-prone states to adopt climate-smart storage and decentralised stockpiles to safeguard health services during extreme weather events.
In Ogun State, Commissioner Dr Tomi Coker said the government was addressing workforce gaps by training existing Drug Management System (DMS) staff to manage emergency preparedness supplies.
“This approach allows us to optimise existing staff while ensuring supplies are effectively managed and accessible when needed,” she explained.
Chairman of the Forum of Commissioners for Health and Ekiti State Commissioner, Dr Banji Filani, called for stronger inter-state collaboration in laboratory systems, surveillance, and knowledge sharing.
“Public health emergencies do not recognise borders. States must support one another. A friend in need is a friend indeed,” he said, urging joint training and mentorship under NCDC leadership.
