USAFRICOM, NEMA Unveil Disaster Response Plan

The United States Africa
Command (USAFRICOM) in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), have unveiled a national influenza pandemic disaster response plan and a military disaster contingency plan for Nigeria.
United States Deputy Chief of Mission to Nigeria, Ms Maria Brewer, presented the national influenza pandemic disaster response plan to stakeholders in disaster management last Thursday in Abuja
In his address at the occasion NEMA’s Director General, Alhaji Mohammad Sani-Sidi, commended the efforts made by partners, especially USAFRICOM to evolve the disaster plan for the country.
He recalled that in 1918, Spain witnessed an influenza outbreak that claimed more than 20 million lives.
“The current global alert of possible influenza pandemic likely to be caused by a novel virus makes it imperative for every nation to prepare in advance for such catastrophe.
“While it is obvious that no nation is immune to disasters and pandemic crises, it is equally alarming that such emergencies are not restricted by international boundaries or frontiers.
“This, therefore, calls for international cooperation as signified by this event that we are witnessing today,’’ he said.
The DG expressed NEMA’s willingness to provide the leading role for a coherent, integrated and coordinated mechanism that would enhance the unity of purpose and synergy amongst its stakeholders.
“The provision of the mechanism for epidemiological information, integrated communication strategy and a well articulated emergency response as contained in the pandemic response plan being presented by USAFRICOM is quite commendable,’’ he said.
He said that the outbreak of pandemic influenza would not only lead to illness and death, but would also impact negatively on all aspects of the national well-being and translate into negative socio-economic consequences.
In her speech at the presentation of the plan, Brewer said that USAFRICOM had been involved in disaster preparedness in Nigeria since 2009.
She said that collaboration with NEMA had not only strengthened partnership and friendship between both counties, but had also enhanced regional collaboration and national pandemic preparedness and disaster response plans.