By Emmanuella Oghenetega
The Federal Government has warned that future pandemics are inevitable, urging sustained investment in preparedness, stronger health systems, and coordinated multi-sectoral responses to avert another global crisis.
Speaking at a high-level public health symposium in Abuja themed “Lessons on Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Insights from China and Nigeria,” the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the threat of infectious disease outbreaks remains constant and demands urgent, proactive action.
“It is not a matter of if, but when,” Pate said, stressing that outbreaks, if not contained early, could escalate from local incidents into epidemics and eventually full-scale pandemics with global consequences.
He cited recent scientific findings in Nigeria showing human exposure to multiple dangerous pathogens, including influenza, Ebola, and coronaviruses, noting that such risks underscore the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health systems.
According to him, pandemics do not emerge suddenly but evolve gradually. “Outbreaks start small, grow into epidemics, and ultimately, if uncontrolled, become pandemics that disrupt the course of human civilisation,” he said.
Pate highlighted the far-reaching impact of pandemics beyond health, describing them as major economic and national security threats. Referencing the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted that it caused a 5.5 per cent contraction in global GDP and wiped out nearly $15 trillion worldwide.
“Economies stopped,” he said. “During the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria in 2014, economic activities slowed significantly due to fear, affecting businesses and livelihoods across sectors.”
He emphasised that public health security is directly tied to economic stability and national security, requiring coordinated responses across health, agriculture, environment, and security sectors at all levels of government.
The minister called for sustained investment in resilient health systems, including primary healthcare, diagnostics, research, and local pharmaceutical manufacturing. He warned that reactive approaches to health crises are inadequate.
“It is not when an outbreak occurs that we begin to invest; by then, it is already too late,” he cautioned.
Pate also underscored the importance of a skilled workforce, revealing that nearly 79,000 frontline health workers have been retrained over the past two and a half years to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency response capacity.
“Without frontline workers, responding to pandemics is like going to war without an army,” he said, urging governments at all levels to prioritise their protection, training, and welfare.
He further stressed the need to build public trust and combat misinformation, noting that confidence in science-based guidance is critical during health emergencies. He referenced ongoing engagements with traditional and religious leaders to strengthen community awareness and cooperation.
In addition, Pate advocated increased investment in research, innovation, and digital health, urging Nigeria to transition from being a consumer of global health knowledge to a contributor.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described pandemics as some of the most disruptive events in human history. Reflecting on COVID-19, which claimed over seven million lives globally, he said the crisis exposed major weaknesses in health systems worldwide.
Despite these challenges, Salako noted that Nigeria demonstrated resilience, but stressed the need for stronger collaboration, improved surveillance systems, and a whole-of-society approach to future health emergencies.
Also speaking, the Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, called for greater global solidarity in tackling pandemics. He warned that pathogens often spread faster than the systems designed to contain them.
Ursu identified early detection, transparent data sharing, and robust surveillance systems as critical tools for managing outbreaks, noting that countries with stronger health systems were better able to withstand the impact of COVID-19.
Similarly, China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Yu Dunhai, highlighted the growing complexity of global infectious disease threats, driven by virus mutations and increased cross-border transmission.
He stressed that developing countries continue to face challenges in accessing vaccines, medicines, and critical health resources, especially amid declining global health financing.
Dunhai reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Nigeria, noting that both countries elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2024. He said China would continue to support Nigeria through technical cooperation, scientific exchange, and partnerships with multilateral organisations such as the WHO.
“We stand ready to work with Nigeria and other partners to explore health development pathways suited to developing countries,” he said.
Stakeholders from key sectors, including agriculture and environment, also emphasised the importance of adopting the “One Health” approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health systems in addressing disease risks.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, noted that environmental, social, and economic factors such as urbanisation, poverty, and food systems significantly influence disease emergence.
“When there is no pandemic is the best time to prepare, because decisions can be made clearly without pressure,” Kyari said, stressing the need for proactive interventions across sectors.
He added that the agriculture sector is strengthening plant health and pest control systems to better understand and manage disease dynamics within food production systems.
Across the board, speakers emphasised that pandemic preparedness must be continuous, data-driven, and inclusive, involving governments, international partners, and communities.
The consensus from the symposium was clear: the next pandemic is not a distant possibility but an impending reality, and only sustained investment, collaboration, and preparedness can mitigate its impact.
