Lawmakers Push For Funding For NCDC, Warn Of Health Risks

The House of Representatives has urged the executive arm of government to, as a matter of urgency, provide the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with adequate funding as approved in the Appropriations Acts to enable the agency settle outstanding liabilities and sustain its operations.

The house also tasked its Committee on Infectious Diseases to monitor the release and utilization of funds to the NCDC and report back for further legislative action.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by member from Abia State,. Amobi Ogah, who warned that Nigeria’s public health system faces serious risks amid funding shortfalls and emerging disease threats.

In the Lead debate, Ogah who is also the chairman house Committee on infectious disease, said the NCDC, as the country’s national public health institute, plays a critical role in responding to infectious disease outbreaks and health emergencies.

He cited a May 15, 2026 report by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) confirming an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising concerns about possible cross-border transmission.

According to the lawmaker, Nigeria has already been placed at high risk of Ebola importation by the NCDC.

He referenced a public health advisory issued by the Director-General of the agency, Dr. Jide Idris, indicating that national coordination efforts and emergency response systems had been activated.

Despite these measures, Ogah expressed concern that the NCDC has been operating under severe financial constraints noting that the agency received no operational funding in 2025, while releases for its 2026 capital allocation have yet to be made.

He added that overhead releases have been irregular and inadequate, undermining preparedness efforts.

The lawmaker noted that the funding gap has significantly weakened the centre’s ability to meet critical health security obligations, especially as external donor support continues to decline.

He outlined several operational challenges facing the NCDC, including unpaid vendors for over a year, stalled projects such as zonal laboratories and treatment centres, and shortages of laboratory reagents and diagnostic materials.

He also cited limited biosafety infrastructure, inadequate intensive care resources, and insufficient funding for training rapid response teams.

Ogah warned that these challenges could hinder outbreak response operations, surveillance systems, and emergency preparedness activities across the country if not urgently addressed.

Adopting the motion, the house called on port health authorities to intensify cross-border surveillance to prevent the entry of infected persons.

The House further mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure strict adherence to its resolutions.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji