Lagos Elevates Health Security to National Priority as State Develops New Action Plan

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, has emphasized that health security must be treated with the same urgency as traditional security concerns. She noted that national discussions often focus on banditry and other physical threats, while biological dangers—despite past experiences with Ebola, COVID-19 and other emerging diseases—receive far less attention.

Dr. Ogunyemi made the remark while declaring open a five-day intensive, multisectoral workshop aimed at developing the Lagos State Action Plan for Health Security (SAPHS). The workshop, hosted by the Lagos State Ministry of Health in Alausa, Ikeja, runs from November 24 to 28 and is designed to strengthen the state’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to emerging public health threats.

The programme is being implemented in partnership with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), with technical support from Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It builds on Lagos State’s 2024 Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of health security capacities and a subsequent technical planning meeting that produced a draft framework. Participants from the human, animal and environmental health sectors are expected to translate the JEE findings into a costed, actionable and trackable plan aligned with the International Health Regulations (IHR).

In her address, Dr. Ogunyemi reminded stakeholders that Lagos—being a densely populated megacity and major international gateway—is highly vulnerable to health threats. She stressed that preparing for the “unknown” must guide the development of the action plan. “Health is security. The next threat may not be cholera or malaria; it may be something far more unpredictable. This plan is our shield,” she said.

She urged participants to take ownership of the process, noting that the SAPHS must be expert-driven, practical and capable of protecting residents regardless of future challenges. Once finalized, she said, the document will be submitted to the State Executive Council for formal adoption and cross-sectoral implementation.

In his welcome remarks, the Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ismail Abdus-Salam, expressed satisfaction that the workshop was finally taking place after earlier scheduling delays. He described it as an opportunity to develop feasible and coordinated strategies across all relevant sectors.

Highlighting progress recorded in the state’s health security system, Dr. Abdus-Salam pointed to strengthened staffing and improved operations at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), as well as ongoing facility upgrades. He emphasized that while Lagos has made notable advances, meaningful improvement requires balanced development across human, animal and environmental health systems.

Delivering goodwill remarks on behalf of NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris, the agency’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Pharm. Chibuzor Eneh, reaffirmed NCDC’s commitment to supporting Lagos. She described the state as a national leader in health security and expressed confidence that SAPHS would set the pace for other states, noting that only a few have begun similar planning processes. She encouraged stakeholders to work toward achieving an outstanding assessment in the next Joint External Evaluation.

Also speaking, Senior Emergency Management Specialist at the U.S. CDC, Dr. Muhammad Saleh, clarified that recent shifts in global health funding should not be interpreted as cuts but as strategic realignments. He assured participants that Lagos remains a priority for U.S. government health security initiatives.