Outdated state laws threaten Nigeria’s disease outbreak preparedness — NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has cautioned that outdated and weak public health laws at the state level could hamper Nigeria's ability to prepare for and respond to future disease outbreaks. NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, made the warning during a Nigeria Subnational Public Health Legal Reform Guide held in Abuja.

The NCDC, as the National Public Health Institute of Nigeria, plays a central role in implementing health security measures, but the effectiveness of these measures cannot solely rely on the agency. Idris noted that some of the laws in place were enacted several decades ago and predated modern public health practices and structures, such as Emergency Operations Centres, electronic disease surveillance, modern laboratory systems, and One Health coordination.

He emphasized that the NCDC, with its Legal Unit, has been working with Resolve to Save Lives to support states in systematically reviewing their public health laws to identify areas that need reform. The objective of this reform is to ensure that states are legally equipped to respond swiftly to public health emergencies.