By Muhammad Amaan
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says strengthening sub-national capacity is critical to improving disease surveillance and response systems across Nigeria’s states and local governments.
Director-General of the agency, Dr Jide Idris, spoke during a panel session on “Early Detection to Intelligence: Surveillance, Data and Laboratory Systems” at a high-level public health symposium on Monday in Abuja with key stakeholders present.
The one-day symposium was themed “Lessons on Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Insights from China and Nigeria,” drawing participants from across sectors and countries.
Dr Idris said that while Nigeria’s surveillance system performed relatively well at the national level, significant gaps remained at state and local levels, where detection and response capacity was often limited.
According to him, Nigeria’s federal structure places responsibility on sub-national governments, making it imperative to strengthen their capacity in surveillance, data collection, and digital reporting for timely public health interventions.
“The responsibility at the sub-national level is to build capacity, strengthen coordination and ensure systems function effectively across all tiers of government,” he said, stressing improved institutional alignment nationwide.
Dr Idris emphasised integrating surveillance systems across human, animal, and environmental health sectors under the One Health approach to improve early detection and coordinated responses to disease outbreaks across states.
He added that strengthening legal frameworks and institutional coordination mechanisms would empower states to take ownership of surveillance systems and respond more effectively to emerging public health threats.
The NCDC boss highlighted the need for interoperable digital platforms enabling real-time data capture, analysis, and decision-making, noting that timely intelligence remained critical to effective outbreak detection and control efforts.
Dr Hong Yang, an epidemiologist at China CDC, shared China’s experience, highlighting structured surveillance systems, strict reporting timelines, and expanded sentinel hospital networks as strengths in early detection mechanisms.
Yang explained that hospitals must report emerging infectious diseases within two hours, while disease control authorities were required to investigate and confirm cases within another two hours.
She said the system ensured prompt detection and response, although disparities in capacity across provinces remained a challenge, particularly in laboratory sequencing and reporting quality at lower administrative levels.
According to her, China addresses these gaps through collaboration with research institutions and a tiered laboratory system, where national and provincial facilities support lower levels with advanced diagnostics capabilities.
Dr Sedjro Catraye of the West African Health Organisation identified fragmentation of surveillance systems across countries as a major regional challenge, limiting efficiency, integration, and coordinated responses to health threats.
He also cited delays in data reporting, weak analytical capacity, and poor cross-border information sharing as critical gaps affecting timely response to public health threats in West Africa.
Dr Catraye stressed the need for harmonised surveillance systems and stronger regional collaboration, noting that lessons from Nigeria could support improvements across neighbouring countries in the West African sub-region.
Dr Jenom Danjuma, an epidemic prevention expert, emphasised expanding real-time electronic reporting systems to ensure rapid information flow from health facilities to decision-makers during public health emergencies nationwide.
He said that public health emergency operations centres must be strengthened to analyse data effectively and triggered timely responses, supported by clearly defined roles and timelines during outbreak situations.
Dr Danjuma added that improving data analytics at sub-national levels would enable authorities to interpret surveillance data and act promptly, rather than merely collecting information without translating it into actionable outcomes.
Prof. Reuben Eifediyi, Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo, highlighted strong laboratory systems in outbreak detection, citing the hospital’s experience managing Lassa fever cases.
He said investments in molecular diagnostics, surveillance systems, and partnerships improved case detection and protected health workers, with no fatalities recorded among staff in recent years at the facility.
Prof. Eifediyi emphasised integrated data systems, logistics, mobile outreach, and sustained investment in laboratory infrastructure to strengthen surveillance and response, particularly in hard-to-reach and underserved communities nationwide.
Prof. Dimie Ogoina of Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, underscored the role of confirmatory diagnosis in outbreak management, describing it as the foundation of effective and evidence-based public health response systems.
He recalled delays in diagnosing Mpox cases in Nigeria in 2017 due to limited laboratory capacity, which affected response efforts and exposed systemic weaknesses in diagnostic turnaround times nationwide.
“Without confirmatory diagnosis, you cannot declare an outbreak, treat cases effectively or carry out meaningful community engagement,” he said, calling for increased investment in laboratory systems nationwide.
Prof. Ogoina also advocated sustainable funding, accountability, and digital-enabled research to strengthen surveillance systems, while urging greater focus on building local capacity at community and local government levels.
Participants agreed that integrated surveillance systems, strengthened laboratory networks, and improved data utilisation were essential for translating early detection into actionable public health intelligence across Nigeria and the region.
They emphasised that lessons from Nigeria, China, and the West African region demonstrated the importance of coordination, innovation, and sustained investment in building resilient disease surveillance and response systems.
Experts noted that as disease threats continued to evolve, strengthening sub-national capacity remained central to ensuring timely detection, effective response, and overall national health security across all levels.
The panel ended with a call for governments and stakeholders to prioritise capacity building at all levels, stressing that strong local systems remained the backbone of effective pandemic preparedness and response efforts.
