Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, inaugurated the National Infection Prevention and Control Technical Working Group (IPC-TWG) on Monday. The inauguration, he said aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The minister stated that the IPC- TW group comprises of members from various sectors who will focus on designing a system that prioritises patient-centred care through collaboration, knowledge sharing, stakeholder engagements, and innovation.
Prof Pate, who was represented at the event by the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Olajide Idris, noted that the primary role of the IPC-TWG is to reduce healthcare-associated infections and improve patient outcomes by strengthening the national infection prevention and control (IPC) plan.
He emphasised Nigeria’s resilience in disease prevention and outbreak containment, as demonstrated during the Ebola, Covid-19, and ongoing Cholera outbreaks. “Nigeria has shown resilience in disease prevention and outbreak containment,” Pate stated.
He highlighted the need for significant improvements to enhance the national IPC plan, leveraging the One Plan philosophy for better results.
Pate assured the working group of necessary resources and technical support to significantly reduce the burden of diseases and ensure a safer healthcare system in Nigeria.
“The IPC-TWG will serve as a national level indicator to track set precedence for other nations to follow.
“This marks the beginning of a crucial journey aimed at enhancing healthcare safety across Nigeria through actionable steps in Infection Prevention and Control,”Pate said.
In his speech, Prof. Pate appreciated the commitment of NCDC management and staff and acknowledged the collaborative efforts of development partners.
