By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

A fresh push for the establishment of the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases (NIPHID), Zaria, gained momentum as health experts urged the National Assembly to pass the enabling bill, insisting that the proposed institute would complement, rather than duplicate, the functions of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Leading the advocacy at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Public Health and Infectious Disease Management Practitioners Association of Nigeria (PHIDMAPON), Prof. Khadija Musa, described the proposed institute as a critical national investment in Nigeria’s health security and infectious disease preparedness.

She said fears that the institute would encroach on the statutory responsibilities of the NCDC were misplaced, noting that advanced healthcare systems across the world operate specialised institutions with complementary mandates.

“In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works alongside the National Institutes of Health. In the United Kingdom, the UK Health Security Agency complements the National Institute for Health and Care Research, while in South Africa, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases operates alongside the South African Medical Research Council. These institutions have different but complementary responsibilities,” she said.

According to Musa, Nigeria’s population of over 230 million people and the growing burden of infectious diseases require multiple specialised institutions to strengthen disease surveillance, research, training and emergency response.

She explained that the proposed NIPHID would focus on specialist training, advanced infectious disease research, technical capacity development and clinical services, thereby reinforcing the country’s existing public health infrastructure.

“The bill is in order. It does not duplicate efforts but rather complements the existing system and will improve standards and technical capacity in infectious disease management,” she said.

Musa, who is also Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, commended the National Assembly for initiating the legislation but urged lawmakers to make necessary amendments to enhance its implementation.

Earlier, Acting Head and Chief Executive Officer of NIPHID, Dr. Dalhatu Abdullahi Aminu, explained that the bill seeks to transform the former National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre, Zaria, into a specialised tertiary institution dedicated to infectious diseases, public health education, clinical care and research.

He said the institute would provide advanced medical services, train specialists, conduct cutting-edge research and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks.
Aminu also disclosed that many stakeholders had unknowingly relied on an incorrect, ungazetted version of the bill during deliberations.

He clarified that his presentation was based on the officially gazetted version published in the Journal of the National Assembly (No. 77, Vol. 22) of December 8, 2025, adding that copies had been submitted to the committee secretariat to correct the anomaly.

Also speaking at the hearing, representative of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Olajide Idris, said the agency supports the upgrade of the Zaria facility into a tertiary institution focused on teaching, research and specialised clinical services, provided its functions remain complementary to the NCDC’s statutory mandate.

However, the Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC) opposed the bill, arguing that it could lead to overlapping responsibilities and institutional rivalry. The coalition instead urged lawmakers to strengthen the NCDC through improved funding, legislative reforms and expanded regional operations.

Stakeholders from across Nigeria’s health sector attended the public hearing as lawmakers continued deliberations on the proposed legislation, which proponents believe could significantly enhance the country’s preparedness for future public health emergencies.