The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on the federal government to prioritise health funding towards preparedness and prevention in the fight against disease outbreaks.
The WHO country representative in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, gave the charge at the third edition of Nigeria Health Watch Prevent Epidemics Journalism Awards in Abuja at the weekend.
Dr. Mulombo who was represented by Dr Victor Tugumizemu said there was need for every country to find, prevent or stop epidemics, adding that Nigeria accounts for 50 percent of tropical diseases in Africa and contributes 27 percent of global cases of malaria and 24 percent deaths.
He said non communicable diseases account for 29 percent of deaths in Nigeria.
He said; “Currently, the country bears the highest burden of tuberculosis and paediatric HIV, while accounting for 50% of neglected tropical diseases in Africa. Although the prevalence of malaria is declining (from 42 percent to 23 percent), the country contributes 27 percent of global cases and 24 percent of global deaths. Non communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 29 percent of all deaths in Nigeria with premature mortality from the four main NCDs (hypertension, diabetes, cancer and malnutrition) accounting for 22 percent of all deaths”.
He commended the organisers for facilitating a strong collaboration with the media through the ‘Prevent Epidemics project’, to raise public and policymaker awareness and demand for epidemic preparedness and build understanding and support among policymakers for dedicated epidemic preparedness funding.
“This event underscores the need to meaningfully engage critical stakeholders to accelerate and make Nigeria and the world safer from epidemics with advocacy and action because we all know that epidemic outbreaks have multiple determinants, affect many people and require action from all of us gathered here today”.
He however, said the recent COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging diseases, such as Lassa Fever, and Cholera among others have revealed the gaps in the epidemic preparedness of many countries, including Nigeria.
“If unchecked, can result in terrible danger. Nigeria needs a pivot to prevention in the fight against diseases by addressing the root causes” he said.
He added that WHO recently launched its US 2.54billion 2023 health emergency appeal fund to assist millions of people around the wold health emergencies.
In her welcome address, the managing director, Nigeria Health Watch, Ms Vivianne Ihekweazu, said poor health funding makes us all vulnerable to outbreaks.
She said health security should not be seen as the responsibility of the Federal government alone but State governments and local should fund such initiatives.
Ihekweazu therefore, called on Nigerians to in the spirit of electioneering campaigns/voting of new leaders hold politicians accountable in order to improve public health.
In a good will message, the Director General Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa lauded the critical role the media plays in tackling epidemics.
Also the Nigeria Coordinator, Prevent Epidemics Dr. Emmanuel Alhassan, said the 2023 budget witnessed a dip in allocation to health sector.
Mrs Karen Ezedimbu Ogom emerged winner for the TV category, Mrs Nike Adebowale Tambe won the print/online category while Mrs Blessing Ifechukwu Enebeli won the radio category.
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