Nigeria Launches Public Health Legal Reform Guide

Nigeria has unveiled a subnational public health legal reform guide to enhance its legal and institutional frameworks for addressing public health emergencies. The guide was developed through collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Resolve to Save Lives, and other stakeholders.

During the launch in Abuja, Hon Amos Magaji, Chairman of the House Committee on Healthcare Services, emphasized that lawmaking should involve health practitioners and stakeholders who face challenges in public health delivery. He urged them to propose amendments or new legislation to strengthen the health system.

Dr Jenom Sunday Danjuma, Interim Country Director of Resolve to Save Lives, stated that the guide is a significant step towards improving public health legal preparedness, building on a national legal assessment conducted in 2019. The guide is designed to be adaptable for different states, reflecting their unique legal and public health contexts.

The initiative aligns with the World Bank Health Security Programme, which includes legal reform as a key intervention.