Some physicians at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) have called for unity in science-driven healthcare in Nigeria to strengthen disease prevention, diagnostics, treatment outcomes, and overall public health system performance.
The call was made during lectures at the 2026 World Health Organisation Day commemoration in Ilorin on Wednesday, themed “Together for Health: Stand with Science.”
The programme, organised by UITH’s Department of Epidemiology and Community Health in collaboration with the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), aimed to promote evidence-based healthcare delivery and nationwide collaboration.
Prof. Kolawole Abdulwahab, Consultant Neurologist at UITH, stressed the importance of unity in science-driven healthcare. In his lecture, “Building Multisectoral Research Partnerships for a Healthier and Safer Population: Lessons from Global Scientific Networks,” he highlighted the need for partnerships among researchers, government, and the media to address persistent healthcare challenges.
Abdulwahab urged researchers to collaborate with industry stakeholders and involve relevant parties from the conceptual stage to ensure practical and sustainable solutions are implemented effectively across Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Prof. Nusirat Elelu, Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, discussed the One Health approach, linking human, animal, and environmental health. “More than 75 percent of diseases affecting humans are zoonotic, including anthrax, rabies, and COVID-19,” she said, calling for strong government commitment, sustainable financing, and enforcement of policies regulating wildlife trade, food safety, and integrated disease surveillance systems.
Prof. Sunday Aderibigbe, Professor of Community Medicine at UITH, described healthcare delivery as a collective responsibility requiring coordinated efforts across all sectors to improve health outcomes and system efficiency.
Prof. Uthman Mubashir, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, emphasised the timeliness of the lectures, noting that the One Health approach strengthens coordinated responses to emerging and re-emerging health threats globally. He commended the hospital management for its ongoing support in advancing healthcare initiatives.
