Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, says the Federal Government is repositioning the country’s public health system to better detect and respond to disease outbreaks, strengthen emergency preparedness, and safeguard Africa’s most populous nation from emerging global health threats.
Speaking on Sunday via a broadcast on his X handle, Pate highlighted ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s health security architecture, noting that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is being transformed into a global reference point for disease surveillance, prevention, and response.
“We are building resilience as well as agility in a world where local emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases can rapidly turn global,” Pate said.
“The Federal Government is preparing our national institutions, health professionals, and scientists to respond effectively. This informed our resolve to reposition the NCDC as a preeminent reference point, both on our continent and globally, for disease surveillance, preparedness, and response.”
The minister credited President Bola Tinubu’s leadership for driving significant progress in the health sector, citing recent initiatives aimed at boosting Nigeria’s ability to tackle public health emergencies.
“The leadership of our president has produced several important breakthroughs that promise to enable our country to effectively prevent and respond to any new or recurring public health threats,” Pate noted.
Among these breakthroughs is the launch of the National Genomic Surveillance Strategy and the establishment of the Nigeria Genomics Consortium. According to Pate, the integration of genomic technology into public health will revolutionise disease detection, monitoring, and response across the country.
Pate also underscored Nigeria’s commitment to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), describing it as a growing global health and economic concern.
“Globally, antimicrobial resistance — a mechanism through which microorganisms mutate and evolve to resist the effects of antibiotics — has attracted rapid attention because of its wide-ranging impact on public health, health outcomes, and the economy,” he explained.
The minister reaffirmed that these reforms reflect the government’s determination to fortify Nigeria’s health security systems and position the country as a leader in disease surveillance and response on the African continent.
