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Reflection: My First 3 Months in the Office

I have prioritised forging strong partnerships with government agencies, the private sector, international organisations, civil society organisations, the media, faith-based organisations, traditionally-based organisations, and the community

I have had my share of responsibilities, challenges, and priorities. However, the first three months of my tenure as Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) have been a journey of immense learning and growth.

Stepping into the role of the Director-General has proven to be a huge responsibility as I find myself, once again, face-to-face with public health emergency and response. I am aware of the gravity of the task at hand i.e safeguarding the health of millions of Nigerians against public health threats.

During my first three months, we have had to respond to numerous public health emergencies and challenges ranging from endemic infectious diseases like Lassa fever, Meningitis, Measles, and Cholera, to unknown illnesses in various states.

Furthermore, knowing that the health security system of the country is only as strong as the weakest link, I have had to manage sub-national stakeholders in states with peculiar priorities, needs and interests. Each obstacle is a test of resilience and adaptability. I have had to learn about the agency on the go while charting my strategic roadmap to improve our efficiency as an agency.

One of the key observations I have made is how little emphasis we, as a nation, place on ‘Prevention’. This may be a result of our general attitude as a people towards prevention. The agency has a seasonal calendar that signals when these outbreaks may happen, but I feel we need to do more on Prevention as an institution. This is why we have identified Prevention as one of the key pillars in the revised NCDC 2-year blueprint. Kindly note, that we are currently developing an implementation of the blueprint which also includes other key aspects of health security such as disease surveillance, early warning systems, detection, and response to health threats.

Also recognising that health security requires a multidisciplinary approach that cuts across various disciplines, I have prioritised forging strong partnerships with government agencies, the private sector, international organisations, civil society organisations, the media, faith-based organisations, traditionally-based organisations, and the community with a focus on scaling up activities and increasing efficiency using research and technology for effective practices. We are working towards aligning our shared goals and interests through dialogue with stakeholders to improve our impact and strengthen our collective response to public health threats. Building these partnerships fosters a sense of unity and solidarity, reaffirming the notion that together, we are stronger.

I am filled with optimism and determination as I look towards the future. The challenges we face may be daunting, but they are not insurmountable. Also, I am confident with the lessons learned and the experiences gained in these few months, NCDC can achieve an institutional reform addressing human resource challenges, organisational efficiency, and reliability to bring about a responsible and responsive health security mechanism, thus charting a course towards a healthier and safer future for all Nigerians.