Nigeria is strengthening its public health system through strategic global partnerships, with a strong focus on learning from China’s pandemic response models.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, stated this on Monday in Abuja at a high-level public health symposium themed “Lessons on Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Insights from China and Nigeria.”
Pate underscored the need to build a resilient health system capable of preventing outbreaks, epidemics, and future pandemics. “At the core of resilience is a strong public health system,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s experience with Ebola, COVID-19, and other outbreaks, Pate said the country’s lessons are shaping collaborative efforts with China and other partners.
“These experiences position us to share knowledge and strengthen collective capacity to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks through multi-sectoral engagement,” he said.
The symposium convened ministers from health, livestock, agriculture, and environment, alongside technical agencies, to examine the links between human, animal, and environmental health in driving emerging infectious diseases.
Pate highlighted critical pillars for health security, including surveillance, data systems, preparedness, community engagement, trust-building, scientific innovation, and clinical research.
He noted that the Nigeria-China collaboration would prioritise training in microbiology and genomics, improved laboratory systems, and the application of innovation to tackle diseases such as Lassa fever and monkeypox.
He emphasised the importance of technology transfer, genome sequencing, and antibody development in strengthening both national and global health security.
“These partnerships are not transactions but relationships built on respect and solidarity. Collaboration ensures all countries can respond effectively to emerging threats,” he said.
Pate added that public health security remains central to President Bola Tinubu’s health sector agenda, with a focus on governance, system strengthening, value chain development, and emergency preparedness.
As part of the collaboration, participants are expected to visit Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State, a leading centre for infectious disease management, to assess ongoing innovations and capacity-building efforts.
He expressed optimism that the engagement would deepen long-term cooperation with China and reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to a resilient health system.
“Public health is closely tied to national and economic security. By working across regions, we can ensure the next pandemic finds us better prepared and more resilient,” Pate said.
Also speaking, Prof. George Gao, former Director-General of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, stressed the importance of data sharing in tracking virus variants and improving response strategies.
“If data is not shared, the virus will spread it. Transparency is critical to controlling variants,” he said.
Gao commended Nigeria’s public health resilience, noting that China could also learn from Nigeria’s experience. He highlighted infrastructure priorities such as improved water supply and sanitation as essential to disease prevention.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Adekunle Salako, emphasised the role of diagnostics in pandemic response.
“If you cannot identify a problem, you cannot address it,” he said, adding that the partnership would strengthen Nigeria’s diagnostic and response capacity.
Salako noted that Nigeria’s population size makes the collaboration regionally significant, with potential to enhance health security across West Africa.
He also cited China’s COVID-19 response—marked by extensive testing, coordinated care, and relatively low fatality rates—as a model for effective pandemic management.
The symposium brought together policymakers, researchers, and development partners to share lessons and strengthen preparedness frameworks in an increasingly interconnected world.
