In a landmark event at the Health Security Partners’ meeting, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has unveiled its comprehensive 5-year strategic plan spanning from 2023 to 2027.
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The Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa who made the launch in Abuja the nations capital, said the NCDC commitment to being Strategic, Ambitious, working with Speed, and at Scale (SASS) is underscored by this ambitious plan, which emphasizes digital transformation and high-quality crosscutting public health informatics.
The theme,“Vision to Action” the strategy aligns with the ministerial agenda for health, placing health security as a pivotal pillar.
“The strategy aims to fortify the agency’s vision through clearly defined goals, articulated implementation plans, and a focus on impactful health security interventions.
“This unveiling comes six years after the initiation of the agency’s first strategy, idea to Reality, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of the NCDC. An end-term review in 2022 provided valuable insights, shaping the 2023-2027 strategy by identifying successes, challenges, and learnings,” Adetife added.
Dr. Adetifa said the strategic plan places a heightened emphasis on strengthening subnational health security, fostering collaboration with state and local governments through the newly established Subnational Support Department.
“Additionally, the Department of Planning Research and Statistics is poised to play a pivotal role, armed with enhanced tools and training to elevate monitoring, evaluation, and learning within the agency.
“A robust performance management structure has been instituted to oversee and coordinate the execution of initiatives, providing a framework for assessing progress toward strategic goals.
“This structured approach ensures alignment across the agency’s departments and divisions, fostering collaboration with developmental partners to safeguard the health of Nigerians against emerging public health threats.”
In His goodwill message, the WHO Country Representatives in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Molumbo who was represented by Dr. Mie Okamura said the launch of the NCDC’s five-year strategic plan is a pivotal moment, reflecting a collective commitment to navigate evolving public health challenges with a focus on preparedness, response, and sustainability, aligning seamlessly with the Global Health Security Agenda.
Acknowledging the lessons from the COVID pandemic, Dr. Molumbo emphasized the need for stronger governance, accountability, sustainable financing, emergency preparedness, and collaborative surveillance.
“I reaffirmed WHO’s pivotal role in supporting Nigeria’s health security capacities and highlighted the shared responsibility of the international community in building resilient health systems,” he said.
Dr. Molumbo expressed gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the Federal Minister of Health, and urged all stakeholders to support ongoing negotiations on a new pandemic accord and stressed the importance of equity, inclusivity, and international collaboration in ensuring a future where health security is a reality for every nation.
The Country Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF), Cristian Munduate said the collaborative effort between UNICEF and the NCDC, initiated during COVID is a proud part of the success celebrated today.
Munduate emphasized looking beyond the strategy launch to its pipeline implementation, stating that UNICEF remains committed to working closely with the NCDC.
“This partnership aims not only at the national level but also at the sub-national level, aligning with the strategy’s goal of enhancing health security across all levels.”
