NCDC unveils 5-year strategic plan

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has unveiled its comprehensive 5-year strategic plan spanning 2023 to 2027 in a historic event at the Health Security Partners meeting.

Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), who made the announcement in Abuja, the nation’s capital, stated that the NCDC’s commitment to being Strategic, Ambitious, Working with Speed, and at Scale (SASS) is exemplified by this ambitious plan, which emphasizes digital transformation and high-quality cross-cutting public health informatics.

The theme, “Vision to Action” the strategy aligns with the ministerial agenda for health, placing health security as a pivotal pillar.

“The strategy aims to fortify the agency’s vision through clearly defined goals, articulated implementation plans, and a focus on impactful health security interventions.

“This unveiling comes six years after the initiation of the agency’s first strategy, idea to Reality, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of the NCDC. An end-term review in 2022 provided valuable insights, shaping the 2023-2027 strategy by identifying successes, challenges, and learnings,” Adetife added.

Dr. Adetifa said the strategic plan places a heightened emphasis on strengthening subnational health security, fostering collaboration with state and local governments through the newly established Subnational Support Department.

In His goodwill message, the WHO Country Representatives in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Molumbo who was represented by Dr. Mie Okamura said the launch of the NCDC’s five-year strategic plan is a pivotal moment, reflecting a collective commitment to navigate evolving public health challenges with a focus on preparedness, response, and sustainability, aligning seamlessly with the Global Health Security Agenda.

Recognizing the lessons learned from the COVID pandemic, Dr. Molumbo emphasized the importance of stronger governance, accountability, long-term funding, emergency preparedness, and collaborative surveillance.

He thanked the Federal Government, particularly the Minister of Health, and urged all stakeholders to support ongoing negotiations on a new pandemic accord, emphasizing the importance of equity, inclusivity, and international collaboration in ensuring a future in which health security is a reality for all nations.

Cristian Munduate, Country Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), stated that the collaborative effort initiated during COVID by UNICEF and the NCDC is a proud part of the success celebrated today.