By Angela Atabo/Aderogba George

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), an NGO, have lauded the Nasarawa State Government for embracing the public health legal assessment system tool.

This commendation was made at a four-day workshop in Nasarawa, aimed at bolstering the state’s public health legal framework to effectively respond to public health emergencies.

Amira Abubakar, Assistant Legal Adviser at NCDC, noted that the workshop united key government stakeholders, legal experts, and public health professionals to assess the state’s existing public health laws.

The workshop is part of the Public Health Legal Reform Project, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Nasarawa State, Orixine Consulting, and RTSL.

Abubakar highlighted that NCDC, the developer of the assessment tool, was leading the evaluation to enhance Nasarawa’s public health laws.

“This move is crucial, as insufficient funding has weakened the state’s health system, with only 64 per cent of the population having access to health facilities.

“The state’s health sector is also vulnerable to environmental sanitation issues, posing threats to health and environmental conditions.

“The adoption of the public health legal assessment system tool demonstrates Nasarawa State’s commitment to prioritising health, which is part of its 13-point agenda.

“”This is by strengthening its public health legal framework, the state aims to better respond to emergencies and improve the overall well-being of its citizens.”

Mr Emem Udoh, Senior Legal Advisor at Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), stated that the global health organisation was committed to enhancing health security through financial and technical support for the workshop.

Udoh expressed pride in RTSL’s partnership with Nasarawa State, anticipating the positive impact of the reform on the state’s health security.

“Nasarawa State is leading the way in utilising this innovative tool to identify gaps, weaknesses, and opportunities for strengthening its public health laws,” Udoh noted.

“The assessment will provide a critical analysis of how well the current legal framework meets the state’s health security needs.”

Arome Audu, Executive Director of Orixine Consulting, expressed pride in collaborating with partners to make Nasarawa State the pioneer in conducting the workshop, utilising the newly approved NCDC subnational legal assessment tools.

Prof. Abdulkarim Kana, Commissioner for Justice, Nasarawa State, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing the state as a model of public health security through a strengthened legal framework.

Represented by Alhassan Sabo, Director, Public Defender, Ministry of Justice, Kana commended Gov. Abdullahi Sule for his maximum cooperation in achieving the project’s purpose.

Gaza Shekwonugaza, Commissioner of Health, Nasarawa State, represented by Dr Danjuma Oyinaka, Director, Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, noted that adopting the public health tool marked the beginning of a journey towards a more resilient public health system.

“This initiative aligns with the Nasarawa State Government’s agenda, addressing current challenges and ensuring the state’s preparedness for future health threats.”(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru