Pandemic: NCDC to begin evaluation of states preparedness

Adefita said that the outcome of the assessment would enhance the country’s level of pandemic preparedness and plans to strengthen health security.

By Ife Osemedua

365Daily – The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in collaboration with the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to assess their response capacities to health risks.

Director-General (DG) of NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, made this known in Abuja on Thursday, July 16, 2022.

The assessment is coming under the Joint External Evaluations (JEE), a voluntary evaluation of a country’s ability to find, stop and prevent disease threats. Is also guides the development of National Action Plan For Health Security.

In addition, it is used to determine funding requirements, technical capacity and other resources needed to bridge major gaps identified.

Acvordinf to NAN, Nigeria conducted the last JEE in June 2017.

Accordingly, the NCDC will conduct the assessment on the agencies’ prevention, detection and rapid response to public health risks.

Speaking at a Health Security Policy Dialogue organised by the Nigeria Health Watch, with the theme, “Decentralising Health Security: Lessons from the COVID-19 Response,” Adefita said that the outcome of the assessment would enhance the country’s level of pandemic preparedness and plans to strengthen health security.

He stressed that one of the disease control agency’s priorities was to provide support and coordination for optimal epidemic preparedness and response in states.

“This will help us as a country to identify the most critical gaps within our human and animal health systems to prioritise opportunities for enhanced preparedness and response.

“It is important to ensure that states understand their roles and the gaps that exists,” he said.

“We will continue to push for states in Nigeria to see the power that lies in their hands to change the health outcomes in their localities and constituents,” the DG added.

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