Nigeria More Prepared for Future Disease Outbreaks, Says NACA

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) announced that Nigeria is now better prepared to handle future disease outbreaks, thanks to investments made through the Global Fund’s COVID‑19 Response Mechanism from 2021 to 2025.

According to NACA, the intervention bolstered the country’s disease‑surveillance systems, laboratory networks, emergency‑response structures, and overall health infrastructure, positioning Nigeria to more effectively confront future public‑health emergencies.

NACA made the announcement before a national close‑out meeting, organized with the Global Fund and implementing partners, to evaluate the achievements, lessons, and long‑term impact of the COVID‑19 Response Mechanism in Nigeria.

Speaking on the matter, NACA Director‑General Dr. Temitope Ilori noted that investments made during the COVID‑19 pandemic have become an integral part of Nigeria’s health‑security framework.

She added that lessons learned from the pandemic have reinforced the importance of preparedness for all types of public‑health emergencies.

Ilori further explained that investments in emergency‑response systems, supply‑chain resilience, and rapid‑deployment capacity have been incorporated into the country’s health planning and programming.

NACA said the intervention helped Nigeria mitigate the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic while safeguarding progress made in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.

The agency added that the programme supported nationwide improvements in disease surveillance, laboratory systems, infection‑prevention and control measures, oxygen infrastructure, cold‑chain systems, healthcare workforce capacity, and emergency‑response operations.

Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism Nigeria, Tajudeen Ibrahim, described the initiative as a demonstration of the importance of effective partnerships and country ownership in managing health emergencies.

He