The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has opposed a proposed bill seeking to establish a new National Institute for Public Health and Infectious Diseases, warning that it could weaken the country’s disease response system.
The agency made its position known during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases.
According to the NCDC, creating another federal public health agency with similar responsibilities would duplicate existing functions and create confusion during disease outbreaks.
“The core responsibilities proposed for the new institute are substantially the same as those currently assigned to the NCDC,” Director-General Dr. Jide Idris said.
Idris warned that the proposed institute could lead to overlapping mandates, governance conflicts and unnecessary financial burdens on the government.
He explained that the NCDC, established by law in 2018, already serves as Nigeria’s national public health institute, overseeing disease surveillance, outbreak response, laboratory coordination and emergency preparedness.
The agency also expressed concern over plans to fund the proposed institute through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, saying it could reduce resources available for essential healthcare services.
The NCDC urged lawmakers to strengthen existing institutions instead of creating what it described as a parallel public health structure.
However, supporters of the bill argued that the proposed institute would improve Nigeria’s preparedness for future epidemics and strengthen the country’s public health system.
House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas described the proposal as a strategic investment in national health security, while lawmakers said it would help Nigeria better tackle future disease outbreaks.
The public hearing also considered a separate bill aimed at protecting people living with tuberculosis from stigma and discrimination.
Source: House of Representatives Public Hearing / NCDC
