NCDC Director-General Jide Idris has called for strengthened health security and proactive coordination as Nigeria manages multiple infectious disease outbreaks exacerbated by environmental and social factors.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) revealed Tuesday that the nation is battling concurrent outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever, and measles nationwide. Director-General Dr. Jide Idris stated these crises are fueled by climate change, rapid urbanization, and humanitarian emergencies. He emphasized that “preparedness is not defined by the absence of outbreaks, but by the capacity to anticipate risk.”
Speaking at a stakeholder workshop in collaboration with UNICEF and the WHO, Idris urged for timely, evidence-driven responses to systemic health inequities. He noted that structural factors like population mobility and overstretched health systems complicate current containment efforts. The workshop aims to develop a national roadmap to improve early detection and coordinate effective responses across all levels of government.