Imo Strengthens Public Health Preparedness with Nine-Member Review Committee

By Tosin Clegg

Imo State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Dr. Damaris Osunkwo, has led a nine-member expert committee to assess Nigeria’s National Multi-Hazard Public Health Emergency Preparedness Framework, aligning state readiness with federal directives.

In a recent media statement by Sam Onwuemedo, Special Assistant on Media to the Honourable Commissioner for Health, the committee was constituted following Federal Ministry of Health directives to evaluate the framework’s implementation and operational readiness.

The review, conducted in March 2020, formed part of Nigeria’s broader effort to enhance state-level capacity to manage infectious disease outbreaks, environmental hazards, and complex public health emergencies.

The committee’s membership reflected a cross-section of policy, academic, clinical, and professional expertise.

Members included Hon. Dr. Ojiaku Chibuike Stanley OD, MNOA, Executive Assistant to the Governor on Health; Uchechukwu Promise Ahanonu, Programmes Coordinator, Imo State Ministry of Health; Dr. Kingsley Oforgbu, Assistant Coordinator of Programmes; and Dr. C. Dike, Chairman, LGA COVID-19 Taskforce.

Other members were Prof. Hillary Obi, Head of Department, Imo State University Teaching Hospital; Prof. Paschal Nnadozie, Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Imo State University; Mrs. Anyanwu Lilian, representing the National Union of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (Imo State Chapter); and Chief Boniface Agwunobi, Head of Nursing Services, Imo State University Teaching Hospital.

“The committee was mandated to conduct a structured, evidence-based review of the national preparedness framework, with particular attention to readiness at state and local government levels,” Onwuemedo said in the statement.

Areas of assessment included governance arrangements, disease surveillance systems, emergency coordination structures, workforce preparedness, logistics and supply planning, and the continuity of essential health services during emergencies.

The committee assessed the clarity of institutional roles during emergencies, the effectiveness of command-and-control mechanisms, and the integration of local government response structures into state and national coordination frameworks.

From a health systems perspective, the review covered hospital surge capacity, referral pathways, infection prevention and control protocols, and the readiness of primary healthcare facilities to serve as first-line response units.

He noted in the statement that intersectoral collaboration featured prominently in the assessment, with the committee reviewing coordination between the health sector and allied institutions, including environmental services, emergency management agencies, security services, and community leadership structures.

The review also examined data governance and evidence-based decision-making, assessing the robustness of epidemiological data systems, reporting accuracy, and feedback mechanisms supporting emergency response.

“Community-level preparedness incorporated inclusive risk communication and the deliberate inclusion of vulnerable populations, including elderly individuals, persons with chronic conditions, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups,” the statement noted.

The committee developed practical recommendations to strengthen sub-national preparedness, including institutionalizing routine simulation exercises, improving funding predictability for preparedness activities, strengthening workforce training pipelines, and formalizing after-action reviews to promote continuous learning.