Health
Nigeria Improving Epidemic Response; Preparedness Gaps Persist – APHPN
The President, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), Dr Terfa Kene, says Nigeria has made significant progress in epidemic response but still faces gaps in pandemic preparedness.
Kene told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Abuja, that Nigeria’s response to outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19 had attracted global commendation over the years.
“The entire world applauded Nigeria for its response first to Ebola and subsequently to COVID-19. If there is anything we have achieved significantly in the last 10 years, it is epidemic response.”
He said Nigeria had built strong institutional structures, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), which now played a central role in coordinating national response efforts.
“Every state now has an incident management centre and epidemic response has become like a command structure in the military. Once you have the system in place, you are good to go,” he said.
Kene said that Nigeria had also developed case definitions, surveillance systems and laboratory capacity, including reference laboratories and genomics, to support detection, confirmation and response to disease outbreaks.
He, however, said Nigeria’s decentralised governance structure continued to create gaps in preparedness and operational efficiency across states and local government areas.
“We now have classified case definitions, proper sampling systems and reference laboratories. These are critical for confirming diseases and guiding public health interventions, media engagement and risk communication.
“Nigeria operates a decentralised system. While the federal structure may be strong, some states do not align perfectly and may be weak in operations, and that affects the entire response,” he said.
According to him, pandemic preparedness goes beyond response structures and must include broader public health readiness, especially at subnational levels where implementation often falls short.
Kene identified human resource capacity, data management and technical skills as major weaknesses affecting effective epidemic preparedness and response across the country.
He also pointed to infrastructure deficits, including inadequate health facilities, limited equipment and overstretched workforce, as persistent challenges affecting early detection and response efforts nationwide.
“While we are doing well in epidemic response, preparedness and readiness, in the broader context of public health, is just a portion of it. We are not there yet.
“Some health workers do not understand epidemic response. Some avoid data and analytics, while others lack software skills. These gaps affect reporting, and without proper reporting, action cannot be taken.
“We still have weak infrastructure. Health workers are overloaded and face burnout. Without proper suspicion at that level, we cannot even begin to respond effectively,” he said.
Kene described health security as a shared responsibility involving individuals, communities, professionals and government at all levels, emphasising that collective action was critical to achieving sustainable outcomes.
He urged citizens to adopt healthy behaviours, improve hygiene practices and demand accountability, while communities should prioritise collective well-being and support access to essential health services.
“People must understand basic hygiene, proper waste disposal and the importance of immunisation. Communities should take responsibility for their health and not wait entirely for government interventions,” he said.
Kene, however, said government investment in the health sector remained inadequate compared to the country’s growing population and increasing public health demands.
He emphasised the need for deliberate investment in primary healthcare, noting that public health physicians played a critical role in both treatment and prevention at community level.