By Aaior K. Comfort
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s capacity for public health emergency preparedness and response, particularly in light of the country’s ongoing disease outbreaks. Dr. Muhammad Saleh of the U.S. CDC discussed these efforts during a media roundtable in Lagos, emphasizing the necessity of building expertise among Nigerian disease specialists.
The U.S. CDC has been supporting Nigeria’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) through the Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) certification program. Dr. Saleh noted that this initiative aims to equip public health professionals with essential skills for managing health emergencies effectively.
He highlighted the success of the PHEM program, which has improved Nigeria’s ability to respond to outbreaks of diseases such as meningitis, diphtheria, and COVID-19. Since its inception in 2017, the U.S. CDC has invested over $2 million into these efforts, resulting in the graduation of more than 200 public health staff from the program.
Dr. Saleh pointed out the limited representation of Nigeria among international PHEM fellows, with only seven out of 223 fellows trained globally being from Nigeria. This disparity underscores the need for local capacity building to support operations within the Public Health Emergency Operations Centres (PHEOCs).
He noted, “Catastrophic events like pandemics and natural disasters can affect any country at any time. The PHEM program contributes to a stronger public health workforce capable of adequately responding to health emergencies.”
The PHEM program encompasses basic, intermediate, and advanced levels of training, significantly enhancing Nigeria’s capabilities in managing disease outbreaks. The collaboration between the U.S. CDC and Nigeria has also facilitated knowledge sharing, improving the country’s performance in joint external evaluations from 39% to 54%.
Dr. Farah Husain, Director of the U.S. CDC Division of Global Health Protection Programme, reiterated the U.S. government’s dedication to supporting Nigeria’s public health efforts, focusing on strategies for preventing, detecting, and responding to public health threats.
Dr. John Oladejo, Director of Special Duties at the NCDC, underscored the importance of the PHEM training, which equips participants to coordinate emergency management activities during outbreaks. He highlighted that the program covers critical aspects of public health emergency management, such as incident management systems and logistics.
The PHEM program is essential for strengthening Nigeria’s public health workforce and ensuring preparedness for future health challenges, emphasizing the need for ongoing collaboration and support from international partners.