NCDC Opposes Bill for New Public Health Institute

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has expressed opposition to a proposed bill aimed at establishing a National Institute of Public Health for Infectious Diseases. During a public hearing organized by the House of Representatives' Committee on Infectious Diseases, NCDC Director General Dr.

Jide Idri articulated concerns that the new institute would duplicate responsibilities already assigned to the NCDC, potentially leading to conflicts in leadership and accountability during public health emergencies. He highlighted that the NCDC, established by an act of Parliament in 2018, is already tasked with disease surveillance, outbreak detection, and response coordination.

Idri warned that the proposed bill could strain financial resources and undermine the effectiveness of Nigeria's public health response, particularly during outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19. Despite these concerns, lawmakers supporting the bill argue that the new institute would enhance Nigeria's preparedness for future health threats.

Speaker Tajudeen Abba and Representative Bashir Zubair noted the importance of investing in national health security.