HEALTH Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole, has launched Nigeria’s first National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) to ensure that Nigeria can contribute significantly to the overall goal of improving national, regional and global health security. Professor Adewole at the launch in Abuja stated that global epidemic will always threaten the safety and security of Nigerians and so the plan will ensure that Nigerians can be protected against any future epidemic threat. The minister said that Nigeria is steps closer to strengthening its health security capacity adding “We often emphasise that health security involves not only the health sector but all sectors working towards national security.”He said: “Considering our large population and position in Africa as a whole, the successful implementation of the plan will contribute significantly to the overall goal of improving national, regional and global health security. “It is not a matter of if but when a global epidemic will threaten the safety and security of our citizens. The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been described as the second largest outbreak of the particular strain, highlighting the need for regional and global preparedness.

Source: Nigerian Tribune January 04, 2019 16:07 UTC