WHO Scores Enugu High On Epidemic, Pandemic Response

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has rated Enugu State health system high in the handling of recent epidemic, pandemic and response in the state.
The Country Preparedness and International Health Regulations (IHR) Officer, WHO Nigeria, Dr Ibrahim Mamadu, made this known on Monday in Enugu.
Mamadu spoke at the Sub-national Health Security Assessment of International Health regulations (IHR) Core Capacities.
The four-day assessment workshop was sub-themed: “Strengthening Epidemic Preparedness Across Nigeria.’’
Mamadu said the state had done well in recent times in containing Yellow fever and Covid-19 pandemic.
According to him, there is a need to build on present capacity to ensure adequate preparedness against outbreak of diseases.
“Enugu State has been up and doing as well as pro-active in recent time on zoonotic diseases, Yellow fever and Covid-19 pandemic.
“However, the state needed to build up its capacity and synergy of workers in health, agriculture and environment to prevent diseases, outbreak, and that is what this workshop is here to achieve,’’ he said.
Also, Head, IHR and One-Health in Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Oyaladun Okunromade, lauded Enugu State for its forthcoming in always supporting health partnerships and improvement for the betterment of people.
Okunromade, a Deputy Director, said that the health security assessment, being first of its kind in Africa, would enable the state to know its strengths and weaknesses in the health, agriculture and environment sectors as it concerns bio-security.
“After the assessment and presentation of the recommendation, as well as its implementation, the health, agriculture and environment indices in Enugu State will improve, and there will be better preparedness to check diseases, outbreak,’’ she said.
In his remarks, the State Epidemiology Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Cosmas Okeke, said that the state has agricultural epidemiology in its 17 council areas.