By Editor
The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu has sought for sustained financing for the agency to enhance health security.
Specifically, he called on the Federal Government to fund the agency adequately in order to proactively respond to eventualities, saying prevention was better than cure.
Ihekweazu spoke on Thursday shortly after defending the 2021 budget of NCDC in Abuja.
He recalled that the agency had at different times raised the alarm that diseases of the coronavirus nature could occur anytime, hence, there was need for preparation.
He however, applauded the National Assembly for enacting laws that set them up as full fledged agency of government, a development that made them have capacity to deal with the pandemic and any virus related issues in future.
Acccording to the Director General, the harmonious working relationship with the lawmakers has made NCDC tackle things that are within its statutory powers.
“Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been having working relationship with the Senate Committee on Healthcare.
“I recall that it was this Committee that pushed the bill that eventually became an Act establishing us and previously we have been telling Nigerians on need to prepare for situations like we find ourselves since March, 2020.
“At that time, nobody really want to listen to us, but we are where we are and the Committee really supported us by appropriated funds and releases. The Committee supported releases in our emergency mode in order to respond to this pandemic, what we are now asking is sustained financing for health security.
“Health security is not about when there is a problem, but the preparedness before it happens which must be stable, sustainable and substantial; that is the way we can protect ourselves in the future”.
Speaking on the budget proposal, Dr. Ihekweazu said “This year’s budget, everybody understand that the country is passing through a very challenging period. We all have to be moderate in our expectations in terms of budgetary circle, more than ever before, Nigerians have come to understand why its important to invest in preparedness”.
