The joint effort between the Federal Government and the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated a comprehensive three-pillar strategy to enhance preparedness, detection, and response to disease outbreaks.
The launch of this program, named ‘Strengthening and Utilising Response Groups for Emergencies (Surge)’, took place in Damaturu, Yobe State.
Dr. Godwin Ntadom, the Chief Consultant in Epidemiology at the Federal Ministry of Health, unveiled the initiative. Its primary objective is to enhance readiness and coordination at all levels.
Yobe State, which is in the process of recovering from the Boko Haram insurgency, faces the challenges of both human and natural disasters.
In the year 2022 alone, the state suffered the loss of 74 lives, and 30,000 hectares of farmland were submerged by floods.
Despite warnings from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), approximately 35,000 households were displaced from their ancestral homes across the state.
In his speech, Yobe State’s Commissioner for Health, Lawan Gana, expressed his appreciation for the initiative.
He highlighted that despite existing efforts, the state still struggles with insufficient skilled personnel and limited logistics.
This initiative, which has been launched in all six geopolitical zones of the country, aims to enhance the capacity of public health workers to respond promptly and effectively to any emergency situation.