Senate Raises Alarm Over Weak COVID-19 Response System

The Senate has called for urgent measures to address gaps in Nigeria’s public health emergency preparedness following a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cross River State.

The motion, sponsored by Senator Ipalibo Banigo (Rivers West), noted that Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), imposes a duty on all tiers of government to ensure the security and welfare of the people, including the protection of public health.

According to her, the confirmed case involves a 53-year-old foreign national who entered Nigeria on March 17, 2026, through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, travelled to Calabar the same day, developed symptoms on April 12, and tested positive on April 16 following PCR confirmation at the National Reference Laboratory.

She expressed concern that the timeline of infection appears to exceed the expected incubation period, raising fears of possible local transmission. Additional suspected cases have also been identified, with contact tracing currently ongoing.

Banigo noted that effective outbreak response depends heavily on the availability of essential materials such as testing kits, reagents, and personal protective equipment.

However, she warned that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is currently facing operational challenges due to delayed budget releases, procurement bottlenecks, and inadequate funding since 2025.

Citing lessons from previous outbreaks, including COVID-19, Lassa fever, and Ebola preparedness exercises, she stressed that delayed detection and weak coordination could significantly worsen public health outcomes and national security risks.

She further observed that gaps in preparedness could lead to the rapid spread of infectious diseases, increased risk to frontline health workers, and declining public confidence in the health system.

Following deliberations, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the NCDC to intensify surveillance, testing, and contact tracing in line with national outbreak response protocols.

It also called on the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to expedite the release of funds and consider activating emergency financing mechanisms to support outbreak response.

In addition, the Senate requested a comprehensive report from the NCDC on the country’s preparedness status, including stock levels of medical supplies, laboratory capacity, and response readiness indicators.

It further encouraged intensified nationwide public health risk communication to prevent misinformation, reduce public anxiety, and promote adherence to preventive and control measures.

State governments were also urged to strengthen their outbreak preparedness systems through improved surveillance, rapid response structures, and increased investment in health security.

The Senate warned that failure to address funding and supply chain challenges could escalate preventable public health emergencies and weaken Nigeria’s overall response capacity.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, commended the sponsor and contributors of the motion, noting that the resolutions would be transmitted to the relevant authorities for immediate implementation.