National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has said Nigeria is now in a stronger position to handle future disease outbreaks, following key investments made through the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism between 2021 and 2025.
The agency said the intervention improved Nigeria’s disease surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, emergency response structures, and overall health infrastructure, enhancing the country’s ability to respond to future public health crises.
NACA made this known ahead of a national close-out meeting organised alongside the Global Fund and other implementing partners to review the achievements, lessons, and long-term impact of the COVID-19 Response Mechanism in Nigeria.
Speaking on the development, NACA Director-General, Temitope Ilori, said the investments made during the COVID-19 pandemic have now become a core part of Nigeria’s health security framework.
She explained that the experience gained during the pandemic reinforced the need for stronger preparedness against all forms of public health emergencies.
According to Ilori, improvements in emergency response systems, supply chain stability, and rapid deployment mechanisms have now been incorporated into Nigeria’s health planning.
NACA also stated that the intervention played a major role in reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while safeguarding progress in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
The agency noted that the programme supported upgrades in disease surveillance, laboratory networks, infection prevention systems, oxygen supply, cold-chain infrastructure, healthcare worker training, and emergency operations across the country.
The Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism Nigeria, Tajudeen Ibrahim, described the initiative as proof of the importance of strong partnerships and local ownership in managing health emergencies.
He added that beyond strengthening Nigeria’s COVID-19 response, the intervention also improved critical health systems and boosted preparedness for future pandemics.
The Global Fund introduced the COVID-19 Response Mechanism in 2020 to help countries address the health, social, and economic effects of the pandemic while preserving gains made against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. Nigeria was among the countries that benefited from the programme.
BACKSTORY…
The statement comes years after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed major weaknesses in health systems across the world, including Nigeria’s challenges with testing capacity, emergency response, and supply chain management.
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During the peak of the pandemic, Nigeria, like many countries, relied heavily on international support and emergency interventions to strengthen its healthcare system and maintain essential services for diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Through the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism, Nigeria received funding and technical support to improve disease surveillance, laboratory networks, oxygen supply systems, and workforce training.
As the programme winds down, National Agency for the Control of AIDS says the gains made have now become part of the country’s long-term health security strategy, with officials stressing the need to sustain those improvements to better respond to future outbreaks.
