Nigeria Governors’ Forum launches health security scorecard to track disease outbreak readiness
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Bank, and Resolve to Save Lives Nigeria, has introduced a health security scorecard. This tool aims to enhance the monitoring of states' preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies. Unveiled at a validation workshop in Abuja, the initiative is described by health experts and development partners as crucial for assessing gaps in state-level health security systems and guiding evidence-based interventions. Dr. Ahmad Abdulwahab, Executive Director, Programme Partnership at the NGF Secretariat, stated that the scorecard establishes a unified framework for evaluating health security governance across all 36 states. He emphasized that effective health security is built from the ground up, with subnational execution and accountability forming the bedrock of epidemic preparedness, detection, and response. The scorecard integrates key health security indicators into a single assessment tool, enabling governors to monitor progress, identify gaps, and strengthen accountability. Dr. Nanlop Ogburuke, Executive Director of Resolve to Save Lives Nigeria, highlighted that the scorecard will bolster disease preparedness, prevention, and response at the sub-national level, asserting that health security is only effective when implemented at this level. Dr. Oyeladun Okunromade of the NCDC noted the workshop's goal was to identify state-level
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