NCDC: N10bn health security fund not exclusively for Ebola preparedness

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) revealed that the Federal Government allocated N10 billion to bolster Nigeria's broader health security system, rather than exclusively for Ebola preparedness. Dr. Jide Idris, NCDC's Director-General, clarified this in a statement in Abuja, addressing public discussions about the allocation.

Idris explained that the funding covered prevention, preparedness, early detection, and rapid response to multiple public health threats, including Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera, meningitis, diphtheria, measles, Mpox, and antimicrobial resistance.

He emphasized that the N10 billion was directed to NCDC, not to the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, which was established to coordinate the national response. Idris stressed that the funding was insufficient to meet the scale of investment required to strengthen Nigeria's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies nationwide.

He pointed out that implementing Nigeria's National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) 2.0, which covered 2025 to 2029, would require approximately N522 billion over five years, translating to an average annual requirement of N104.4 billion. Currently, the N10 billion represented only about two percent of this average annual cost, highlighting a significant funding gap in Nigeria's health security system.

Idris highlighted that NAPHS 2.0 adopted a multisectoral, One Health approach involving various stakeholders, including government ministries, development partners, civil society organizations, and others. He stressed the need for sustainable domestic and external funding to prevent outbreaks from escalating into national emergencies, emphasizing the importance of adequate and accountable investment in NCDC and the broader health security system.

Idris reassured the public that Nigeria's response to its first imported Ebola case was vigilant and precautionary, with no active cases following the management of the imported infection.