NCDC Opposes Proposed Public Health Institute Bill, Warns Against Duplication of Functions
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- The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) opposes a proposed bill to establish a new National Institute for Public Health.
- The NCDC argues that the new institute would duplicate existing functions, create governance conflicts, and weaken the current disease control framework.
- The agency, established by law in 2018, asserts it already serves as Nigeria's National Public Health Institute and coordinates national responses to health emergencies.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has voiced strong opposition to the proposed National Institute for Public Health and Infectious Diseases (Establishment) Bill, 2025. The agency warns that creating a new public health institution could lead to duplicated responsibilities, governance conflicts, and ultimately weaken Nigeria's existing disease control and emergency response infrastructure.
while the Centre fully supports efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health security, epidemic preparedness, disease surveillance, and outbreak response capacity, the proposed institute, as presently drafted, seeks to perform functions already assigned to the NCDC by law.
During a public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases, NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris presented the agency's position. He affirmed the NCDC's full support for initiatives aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s health security, epidemic preparedness, disease surveillance, and outbreak response capabilities. However, he stressed that the proposed institute, as currently drafted, seeks to perform functions already legally assigned to the NCDC.
the agency’s statutory responsibilities include disease surveillance, outbreak detection and response, laboratory coordination, emergency preparedness, implementation of International Health Regulations (IHR), public health research, workforce development, and the coordination of national responses to epidemics and pandemics.
Dr. Idris reminded lawmakers that Nigeria already possesses a legally established and internationally recognized National Public Health Institute through the NCDC, created under the NCDC Establishment Act of 2018. The agency's statutory mandate encompasses disease surveillance, outbreak detection and response, laboratory coordination, emergency preparedness, implementation of International Health Regulations (IHR), public health research, workforce development, and coordinating national responses to epidemics and pandemics.
the bill raises serious concerns about duplication of mandates, institutional overlap, governance challenges, and long-term financial sustainability.
The NCDC highlighted that the core responsibilities outlined for the new institute substantially mirror those already vested in the NCDC. This overlap raises significant concerns regarding duplication of mandates, institutional overlap, potential governance challenges, and long-term financial sustainability. The agency emphasized that effective management of public health emergencies necessitates a single, clearly defined national authority. Establishing another federal institution with similar responsibilities, it argued, could create confusion regarding leadership, accountability, and operational command during critical disease outbreaks.
Effective management of public health emergencies requires a single, clearly recognized national authority.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by ThisDay. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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