Nigeria has emerged as a leader in health innovation and pandemic preparedness on the African continent. Dr. Jean Kaseya, the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emphasised Nigeria’s significant contributions during a visit to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in Abuja.
The visit aimed to bolster collaborations, share expertise, and contribute to a healthier future for Nigeria and the African continent.
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African Cooperation for a Healthier Future
Dr. Kaseya recognized Nigeria’s key role in healthcare innovation and pandemic response. He praised the leadership of Prof. Muhammed Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, emphasised the far-reaching influence of Nigerian leadership on the entire continent.
Dr. Kaseya emphasised the importance of consistent consultations with Minister Pate, underscoring the need for networking and exchanging support, guidance, and information. He expressed pride in Nigeria’s healthcare achievements, particularly the NCDC’s essential contributions to public health.
The Africa CDC Director-General acknowledged the urgent need for pandemic prevention and response, citing recent outbreaks on the continent, with many being zoonotic in origin. He highlighted the importance of a One Health Approach that involves multiple government ministries working together, underscoring Botswana’s efforts to elevate One Health coordination to the Vice President’s level and suggesting Nigeria consider a similar approach.
Celebrating African Contributions
Dr. Kaseya urged the celebration and recognition of African heroes and highlighted how an African scientist used equipment provided by the African CDC to discover the Omicron variant. He praised Nigeria’s emergency operation centres as examples for other countries to follow, emphasising the importance of a coordinated approach to avoid fragmentation.
Furthermore, he expressed support for local manufacturing and medical industrialization, emphasising the need for Africa’s self-sufficiency in meeting its healthcare needs. Dr. Kaseya acknowledged the challenges related to medical consumption and the necessity of developing programs that enable African countries to support each other.
He expressed his commitment to returning to continue supporting Nigeria’s healthcare system and emphasised the importance of Africa‘s readiness for future pandemics. He shared the Africa CDC’s vision, focusing on the “4 C’s”: Community involvement, Connectivity (digital), Cash (financial resources), and Commodities (vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics). These elements align with Nigeria’s health agenda and reflect the importance of adequate funding, self-sufficiency in healthcare product manufacturing, a skilled health workforce, and the integration of technology to enhance healthcare systems.
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Coordination and Collaboration for Health Security
Prof. Muhammed Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, highlighted the importance of coordination and collaboration in addressing infectious disease outbreaks. He stressed that infectious diseases respect no boundaries and can quickly spread across countries and continents. Collaborating with organisations like the Africa CDC and other development partners is crucial to keep the continent safer during outbreaks.
Minister Pate emphasised the interconnectedness of the world and the broader impact of outbreaks on national economies. He cited examples of diseases like Ebola and COVID-19 affecting production and other sectors, underscoring the need for cooperation and coordination within the government and among agencies responsible for healthcare, including the Federal Ministry of Health, the NCDC, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and regulatory bodies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, the Director-General of the NCDC, highlighted the agency’s priorities, which include strengthening collaborations with other government ministries, optimising public health laboratory services, and expanding the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System. These efforts reflect Nigeria’s commitment to advancing healthcare innovation and enhancing pandemic preparedness.