Nigeria needs N4b to tackle infectious diseases- Ihekweazu
Chikwe Ihekweazu, chief executive officer, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that the country needs N4 billion in order to strengthen the National strategy for reducing infectious diseases, prevent and control emerging epidemics.
This assertion was made at the roundtable evolved ways the public and private sector can collaborate in keeping life-threatening diseases at bay, while launching the Alliance for Epidemic Preparedness and Response (A4EPR) in Lagos.
The Alliance for Epidemic Preparedness and Response (A4EPR) is an initiative by the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PHN) in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) aimed at getting key stakeholders in the health sector to combat infectious diseases.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, chief executive officer, NCDC, reiterated the need to develop the Nigerian health care system to effectively prevent, protect, and respond to disease emergencies, saying it is as important as, or more important than, an emergency response. It costs less to invest in advance and to be ready.
“Infectious diseases do not respect borders or class. There is an urgent need for investment in preparedness and the time to prepare
Ihekweazu further pointed out that Nigeria actually needs about N4 billion to combat infectious diseases. This does not mean that all the monies must come from the government; the private sector has a role to play.
“There is the need for financial assistance in critical segments of combating infectious diseases such as infrastructure and equipment which needs about N1.8 billion.
“The infrastructure and equipment are responsible for the machines and test variables while we also need response and logistics of about N700 million.
“In Emergency Stockpile, we need N600 million, for the Technology and Innovation segment, we need N600 million, Capacity Development needs N200 million, while Advocacy and Community engagement will require N100 million.”
Ihekweazu said that the agency was mandated with the task of enhancing the country’s preparedness and response to epidemics.
“Recently, Nigeria was hit by the Ebola outbreak. We would not have had a strong response without the private sector. This and other outbreaks have reinforced the need to adequately prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.”
“We want this to be the beginning of a conversation to support the Nigeria’s preparedness for, not just financial support but in building capacities, which is a lot of work,” he said.
Osagie Ehanire, Minister of State for Health, explained that the role of the private sector in heath security in Nigeria goes way beyond corporate social responsibility.
“We must prioritise multi-sectoral partnerships to end epidemics because the next pandemic is only a plane flight away. infectious diseases outbreaks are now of greeter global concern that ever before, propelled by the awareness that volume and ease of travel make an infectious diseases only a plane ride away,” said Ehanire.
Isaac Adewole, the minister of health on his part said, Aside from the devastating health effects, the Ebola epidemic also had a pronounced socio-economic impact in all countries affected.