BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has unveiled its five-year roadmap (2023 - 2027) for the successful implementation of health security.
This was the crux of deliberations at NCDC's Health Security Partners’ meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
The newly launched strategy and implementation plan titled: "Vision to Action” reflected the agency's commitment to the ministerial agenda for the health sector which centred on health security as the fourth pillar.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate had shortly after assumption of office unveiled a four-point agenda that would create an ambitious and realistic blueprint for Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The fourth agenda which was on health security, would provide an opportunity for the Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as relevant stakeholders to address epidemic lassa fever, cholera, meningitis and other emerging diseases that occurs due to poor health security.
Speaking at the security partners' meeting, Director General of NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa noted that the roadmap would mandate the agency to advance the impact of health security interventions in Nigeria while being SASS (Strategic, Ambitious, working with Speed and at Scale).
"In alignment with the presidential and ministerial agenda for health, the 2023-2027 strategy includes a digital transformation agenda complemented by aspirations for high-quality crosscutting public health informatics.
"The strategic plan seeks to sustain the strong vision for the NCDC underpinned by clearly defined goals and supported by well-articulated implementation and delivery plans.
"Exactly six years ago today, the NCDC launched its first strategy with the theme: ‘Idea to Reality’ which outlined a roadmap for the agency in its goal to achieving its vision and mission.
"In 2022, we conducted an end-term review of the implementation of the 2017 - 2022 strategy to identify successes, challenges and learnings which were built on to develop the next five-year strategic plan," he added.
Adetifa informed that changes to the strategy reflected its priority to strengthen subnational health security in partnership with the state and local governments for better coordination and collaboration in the newly created Subnational Support Department.
He was optimistic that the strategy would equip the Department of Planning Research and Statistics with the tools and training required to advance monitoring, evaluation, and learning within the agency in line with best practices.
The DG hinted that NCDC’s vision remained a healthier and safer Nigeria through the prevention and control of diseases of public health importance.
He disclosed that the vision cascaded into a mission statement that was further broken down into seven key strategic goals, 41 objectives and 225 corresponding activities with defined outcomes for the next five years.
Adetifa stated that a performance management structure has been instituted to oversee and coordinate the execution of various initiatives to assess NCDC's progress toward achieving its strategic goals.
He added that the framework would prioritise and align efforts across the agency’s departments and divisions by enabling developmental partners to collaborate in protecting the health of Nigerians against emerging public health threats and evolving challenges.
The document, detailing the strategic and implementation plan, was launched by the NCDC's top management, alongside other key stakeholders from the public and private sector.
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