Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that weak and outdated public health laws at the state level could undermine Nigeria’s preparedness and response to future disease outbreaks.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, gave the warning while speaking on Wednesday in Abuja at the Nigeria Subnational Public Health Legal Reform Guide organised by Resolve to Save Lives
Idris, who was represented by the Deputy Director and Public Health Emergency Management Specialist, Dr Evaristus Aniaku, said states had substantial responsibilities for protecting public health, particularly because the first response to outbreaks often occurred at the subnational level.
He said although Nigeria had made progress in strengthening its public health legal framework, the 2023 Joint External Evaluation of the country’s preparedness still identified gaps in legal instruments, particularly at the state and local government levels.
