NCDC Boss, Ihekweazu Hails Buhari Over Signed Establishment Bill

Chief Executive of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Bill establishing the agency.

Since its establishment in 2011, NCDC has demonstrated its capacity to protect the health of Nigerians by delivering on its core functions of preparedness, detection and response to outbreaks of infectious diseases.

The new Act which will establish NCDC as a full-fledged parastatal, will also ensure that its valuable work is sustained and supported.

The Chief Executive of the agency, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu said: “We are very grateful for Mr. President’s support in the passage of the Executive Bill.

“This Bill will provide Nigerians with an institute that has the capacity to ensure the country’s health security.

“We are also grateful to the Honourable Minister and Minister of State for Health for their support and the Senate Committee on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases led by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.”

With the passage of the Bill establishing Nigeria’s national public health institute, the Federal Government of Nigeria has shown its commitment in ensuring Nigerians are well protected from the public health threat of global emerging infectious diseases.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was established in the year 2011 in response to the challenges of public health emergencies and to enhance Nigeria’s preparedness and response to epidemics through prevention, detection, and control of communicable diseases. Its core mandate is to detect, investigate, prevent and control diseases of national and international public health importance.