By Angela Atabo
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in collaboration with Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), has inaugurated a subnational legal assessment workshop to strengthen public health frameworks nationwide.
Safiya Musa, Legal Adviser, NCDC, who spoke at the event on Tuesday in Abuja, said it brought together legal experts, public health officials and state representatives to review and reform state-level public health laws.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gesture aims at transforming Nigeria’s public health preparedness by evaluating and strengthening the legal frameworks of states across the country.
“These efforts align with recommendations from the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) reports of 2017 and 2023.
“The recommendations emphasised the need for robust legal frameworks at both the federal and state levels to meet the standards of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.
“This is a defining moment for public health in Nigeria; strong legal frameworks are critical to our ability to protect lives and respond effectively to emergencies.
“Through this workshop, we are taking bold steps to ensure that every state’s laws are aligned with international and national health security standards,” she said.
Mr Emem Udoh, Senior Legal Advisor at RTSL, said that the subnational legal assessment workshop built on the innovative subnational legal assessment tool developed by the NCDC with support from RTSL.
Udoh said that the tool provided a structured approach for states to evaluate their public health laws, identify gaps and implement necessary reforms to strengthen public health systems.
“Legal preparedness is the cornerstone of effective public health systems; so this workshop underscores the power of collaboration in addressing systemic weaknesses and strengthening legal frameworks.
“This would ensure that every Nigerian is protected.
“By equipping states with the right tools and insights, we are creating a unified health security framework to tackle health threats head-on,” he said
Udoh said that the workshop’s participants included legal and health representatives from nine northern states of Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara.
He added that the workshop would also to enable the states to cover a comprehensive review of their public health laws and determine their compliance with IHR 2005 benchmarks.
Udo said it would be done by focusing on 13 thematic areas, including disease surveillance, emergency response, and risk communication.
He said that NCDC with support from RTSL, had conducted legal mapping and assessments in seven states, resulting in detailed reports that had informed legislative action and the development of new public health.
Udoh said that the efforts had paved the way for reforms in Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Ogun and Enugu States, among others.
On his part, Aniekan Akpan, an Assessor and Public Health Law expert, said by engaging directly with states, gaps would not just be identified but also solutions would be co-created.
“This is about empowering states to take ownership of their legal frameworks, ensuring they are not only compliant but also effective in safeguarding public health,” he said.
A participant from Niger, Hamza Mashegu, said the workshop was an eye-opener to aid in protecting their communities.
“It is clear that our public health laws need urgent updates; and the tools we are learning about here will guide us in making those changes,” he said.(NAN)
