The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared its steadfast dedication to improving health security across the West African region. This commitment emphasizes the critical need for enhanced regional teamwork, better preparedness, and a unified response to public health crises.
A Call for Unified Action Against Health Threats
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, delivered this message at the West Africa Regional Review and Coordination Meeting (RCC). The event, held on 1 January 2026, was organized by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in collaboration with other partners.
Dr. Salako stated clearly that no single country in the region can effectively combat health threats on its own. He argued that West Africa's resilience depends on four shared pillars: shared surveillance, shared information, shared expertise, and shared responsibility. Recent health emergencies, he noted, have exposed the area's vulnerabilities, making it imperative to build stronger, more sustainable systems for the future.
The minister called on West African nations to foster greater solidarity, minimize fragmented efforts, and take coordinated action. He urged them to maintain unity, strengthen coordination frameworks, and deepen technical partnerships.
Nigeria's Alignment with Regional and Continental Goals
Dr. Salako expressed Nigeria's full backing for several key continental health security initiatives. These include the Africa CDC's Five-Pillar Health Security Agenda and the African Epidemic Fund (AfEF). He also supported the ongoing development of a Regional Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) Coordination Platform.
He connected these regional efforts to President Bola Tinubu's health sector transformation agenda for Nigeria. The country's reform priorities, such as modernizing public health surveillance, expanding lab capacity, and promoting local manufacturing of health products, directly mirror the objectives promoted by Africa CDC and ECOWAS.
Regional Leaders Echo the Need for Collaboration
Dr. Alinon Kokou, the Regional Director of Africa CDC's West Africa Regional Coordinating Centre, highlighted the constant strain that outbreaks and disasters place on the region's health systems. "But we have proven, time and time again, that collaboration is our greatest strength," Kokou said. "The work we do here is not administrative; it is lifesaving."
He revealed that the centre is developing a framework for a coordinated regional emergency response platform. The meeting brought together national directors from all 15 West African member states to review 2025 achievements and plan activities for 2026.
Ms. Muriel Mafico, the UNFPA Resident Representative, stressed the life-saving and cost-saving benefits of investing in preparedness. She called for stronger leadership and increased domestic financing to fund these readiness activities within the region.
Adding to this, Dr. Yusupha Touray, Permanent Secretary at The Gambia's Ministry of Health, pointed out the region's past struggles, such as vaccine scarcity during pandemics. He argued that stronger collaboration would allow countries to pool resources and mount more effective collective responses to health challenges.
A Renewed Commitment to a Safer West Africa
At the conclusion of the meeting, a collective reaffirmation was made. Africa CDC, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and other member states pledged to work towards establishing a harmonized and coordinated public health emergency preparedness and response platform across West Africa. This unified stance aims to protect the health and dignity of the region's 355 million people.
