Group Wants Prevention-driven Health Reforms To Curb Rising Disease Burden

A group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called for a decisive shift toward prevention-focused health policies, stronger regulation of unhealthy products, and improved health financing to address the country’s growing disease burden.

In a statement issued by its media and communication officer, Robert Egbe, CAPPA said Nigeria’s health challenges can no longer be addressed through treatment alone, stressing the need for governments at all levels to prioritise preventive action against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and other avoidable health risks.

The organisation expressed concern that persistent underfunding of the health sector and weak policy implementation have limited Nigeria’s ability to respond effectively to rising cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

Citing data from the Budget Office of the Federation, CAPPA noted that health allocations have consistently fallen below the 15 per cent commitment under the Abuja Declaration, while approved funds are often not fully released for implementation.

It referenced recent funding shortfalls, including reports that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare received only N36 million out of a N218 billion capital allocation in 2025, as well as N26.552 billion out of N233.656 billion in 2024.

CAPPA executive director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said these gaps continue to weaken the health system and worsen preventable health outcomes.

“The conequences are visible in overstretched facilities, limited access to essential medicines, a shrinking health workforce driven by the ‘Japa’ trend, high out-of-pocket spending, and a rising burden of diet-related diseases,” he said.

CAPPA warned that NCDs now account for about 29 per cent of deaths in Nigeria, describing the trend as a growing public health emergency that requires urgent preventive interventions.

Aligning with the World Health Day 2026 theme, “Together for health: Stand with science,” the organisation urged policymakers to adopt evidence-based solutions that reduce risk factors rather than only treating illnesses.

A key recommendation was a stronger Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax to discourage excessive sugar consumption. CAPPA welcomed ongoing legislative discussions on replacing the current N10 per litre levy with a percentage-based tax linked to retail prices, with dedicated funding for health promotion.

“We maintain that the current SSB tax is not strong enough to change consumption behaviour. A tax of at least 50 per cent of retail price, as recommended by the World Health Organization, would both improve public health outcomes and generate revenue for health financing,” Oluwafemi said.

Beyond taxation, CAPPA called for broader regulatory measures, including mandatory sodium reduction in processed foods, front-of-pack warning labels, and tighter restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly to children.

The organisation said such policies are essential to tackling what it described as a “silent epidemic” of diet-related diseases, noting that clear warning labels and reformulation targets would help consumers make healthier choices while encouraging industry compliance.

CAPPA also raised concern over the growing burden of tobacco-related illnesses and emerging nicotine products, describing the current N13 million allocation to the Tobacco Control Fund as insufficient. It called for an increase to at least N300 million to strengthen enforcement of the National Tobacco Control Act.

The group urged governments, regulators and health authorities to prioritise prevention, strengthen enforcement of public health laws, and ensure consistent implementation of evidence-based policies.