Next Pandemics Inevitable, Nigeria Must Prepare — Salako

The minister of state for health and social welfare, Iziaq Salako, has warned that pandemics are unavoidable, urging countries to strengthen their readiness for swift and effective responses.

Salako made the remark on Monday in Abuja at a public health symposium themed “Lessons on Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Insights from China and Nigeria.”

He cautioned that global health systems must remain alert stating, “The next pandemic is not a matter of if but when,” while underscoring the need for coordinated, equitable, and innovative preparedness strategies.

Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, which claimed over seven million lives worldwide, the minister said it exposed weaknesses in health systems but also highlighted the importance of collaboration and resilience.

He pointed to improvements in Nigeria’s health security framework, including the digitalisation of disease surveillance through the SORMAS platform, enhanced training for health workers, and expanded diagnostic capacity with more than 100 public health laboratories nationwide.

According to him, the establishment of infectious disease centres and public health emergency operations centres across all states and the Federal Capital Territory has further strengthened response capabilities.

These interventions, he noted, contributed to an increase in Nigeria’s technical evaluation score from 39 per cent in 2017 to 54 per cent in 2023.

Salako also commended China for its swift and disciplined handling of COVID-19, stressing the role of technology and community mobilisation in managing health crises.

“Mutual learning between Nigeria and China is critical to building resilient systems capable of safeguarding citizens and optimizing global actions against future health emergencies,” he said.

He emphasised that effective pandemic preparedness requires a whole-of-society approach, bringing together governments, the private sector, communities, researchers, and international partners.

He further called on stakeholders to prioritise practical policies, partnerships, and innovation to enhance global readiness and ensure equitable responses.

“Let us work together across borders and sectors to ensure full readiness for the next pandemic, leaving no one behind,” he said.

Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria reports that experts at the event described the engagement as a significant step towards building a self-reliant and industrialised healthcare system in Nigeria through strategic international collaboration, local production, and strengthened health security.