By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has opposed a bill seeking to establish a National Institute for Public Health and Infectious Diseases.
the NCDC warns that the proposed agency would duplicate existing responsibilities and weaken the country’s disease outbreak response system.
The agency made its position known on Thursday during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Presenting the NCDC’s memorandum, Dr. Jide Idris, Director-General said Nigeria already operates a legally established and internationally recognised National Public Health Institute through the NCDC under the NCDC Act, 2018.
According to him, the proposed institute would replicate many of the functions already assigned to the NCDC, including disease surveillance, outbreak detection and response, laboratory coordination, emergency preparedness, public health research and implementation of the International Health Regulations.
“The core responsibilities proposed for the new institute are substantially the same as those currently assigned to the NCDC,” Idris said.
He cautioned that creating another federal agency with overlapping mandates could trigger governance conflicts, duplication of efforts and uncertainty during public health emergencies, stressing that effective outbreak management requires a single, clearly recognised national coordinating authority.
Idris also raised concerns over the financial implications of establishing a new institution with separate headquarters, administrative structures and personnel despite significant government investments already made in the NCDC’s laboratories, surveillance systems, emergency operations centres and workforce development programmes.
The NCDC further argued that transferring internationally recognised responsibilities to a new body could create confusion among state governments, development partners and global health organisations, urging lawmakers to strengthen existing institutions instead of creating parallel structures.
Despite the agency’s objections, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas expressed support for the proposal, describing it as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s health security.
Represented by Rep. Bashir Zubair, the Speaker said experiences from outbreaks such as Ebola, COVID-19 and Lassa fever exposed critical gaps in the nation’s health system and underscored the need for stronger institutions to address emerging infectious diseases.
He noted that the proposed institute would provide a coordinated framework for disease surveillance, research, diagnosis, prevention and management while encouraging locally driven solutions to public health challenges.
The House Committee on Infectious Diseases said the bill was inspired by findings from an oversight visit to the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre in Saye, Zaria, where lawmakers identified underutilised infrastructure and expertise that could serve as the foundation for a national public health institute.
The committee is also considering a Tuberculosis Anti-Discrimination Bill aimed at protecting the rights of persons affected by tuberculosis and reducing stigma associated with the disease.
