The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has collaborated with Nigeria’s Enugu Field Office and Abuja Front Office to enhance public health emergency preparedness and health security systems. The focus is on flood and cholera preparedness across 10 UNICEF-supported states: Rivers, Benue, Delta, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Cross River, and Kogi. This initiative aims to improve the response to public health emergencies.
A three-day multi-sectoral meeting was held from 21–23 September 2026 at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Port Harcourt. Representatives from State Ministries of Health, State Primary Health Care Development Agencies/Boards, State Emergency Management Agencies, and other relevant MDAs attended. UNICEF, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and WHO were also represented. The meeting aimed to strengthen preparedness and response to public health emergencies.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr. Vincent Worgu Wachukwu, delivered the welcome address. Dr. Joy Wihioka, representing the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, also addressed participants. Dr. Hilary Ozoh, representing the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Juliet Chiluwe, delivered the opening remarks. Technical sessions covered multi-hazard preparedness, outbreak investigation and response, and emergency response planning.
The technical sessions were facilitated by NCDC, NEMA, and UNICEF. A tabletop simulation of a flood-triggered public health emergency tested coordination, information sharing, escalation, and response arrangements. The exercise highlighted the importance of timely information sharing, early partner engagement, effective logistics, and rapid access to emergency funds and supplies.
Participants identified critical gaps in emergency planning, PHEOC and Rapid Response Team capacity, laboratory systems, emergency stockpiles, logistics, and coordination between disaster management and public health structures. The affected states committed to strengthening surveillance and early warning, multi-sectoral coordination, flood and cholera preparedness, community engagement, and domestic financing for emergency preparedness and response.
As a key next step, participating states will develop costed and time-bound preparedness action plans. These plans will have clearly defined responsibilities, resource requirements, timelines, and monitoring mechanisms. Regular progress reviews will support implementation, accountability, and sustained improvements in public health emergency preparedness and health security.
The initiative aims to improve public health emergency preparedness and response in Nigeria. UNICEF and partners are working together to strengthen health security systems across the 10 targeted states. The goal is to enhance the response to public health emergencies, particularly flood and cholera outbreaks.
Key points
- UNICEF collaborates with Nigerian states to enhance public health emergency preparedness.
- 10 Nigerian states benefit from UNICEF's public health emergency preparedness initiative.
- Initiative focuses on flood and cholera preparedness, multi-sectoral coordination.
