The Federal Government has launched a €4.2 million initiative aimed at strengthening disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and institutional response systems across Nigeria.
The four-year programme, known as the EU Support to Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EUSPIN), is being implemented in partnership with the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Speaking at the official launch in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the initiative as a strategic intervention aligned with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the minister, the initiative is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to detect, report, and respond more effectively to disease outbreaks and other public health threats.
He said the programme would address existing surveillance and coordination gaps within the health sector by improving laboratory systems, enhancing data sharing and digital health capacity, strengthening collaboration between federal and state institutions, and supporting leadership development for public health personnel nationwide.
Dr. Salako noted that the intervention comes at a critical time as Nigeria continues to face recurrent public health challenges, including outbreaks of cholera and Lassa fever, alongside the rising burden of non-communicable diseases.
“Health infrastructure alone cannot deliver effective healthcare outcomes without strong surveillance systems, coordinated emergency response mechanisms, reliable data, and resilient public health institutions,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a resilient and people-centred healthcare system capable of delivering equitable and quality healthcare services to Nigerians.
He further disclosed that the initiative would support the strengthening of core functions of selected public health institutions and help train up to 75 per cent of public health personnel in leadership and digital competencies required for modern public health management.
Also speaking at the event, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignon, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s health sector reform priorities through stronger public health systems and institutional partnerships.
Similarly, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Pavel Ursu, said strengthening national public health institutions remains critical to improving preparedness, early detection, and rapid response to health emergencies.
The initiative will be implemented by the WHO in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
