Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, has called on Nigerians to prioritise prevention and preparedness as vital tools to achieve long-term improvement in national public health system.
Gbajabiamila, who made the call in Abuja Monday during the 10th anniversary of Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, DRASA, Health Trust, said collective responsibility remains key to building a healthier and safer nation.
He commended DRASA for its decade-long commitment to advance infection prevention, outbreak response and health education, describing the initiative as essential to Nigeria’s health security and national development.
“This is what we need, institutions that sensitise people and promote the principle that prevention is better than cure. We must act before problems arise, not after damage is done”, he said.
He emphasised DRASA’s example as a model of proactive health engagement, stating that public health must be treated as a shared responsibility between governments, institutions and the wider community.
“Health is wealth and a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. DRASA embodies preparedness, prevention and collective responsibility. That is exactly the mindset Nigeria needs”, Gbajabiamila said.
He also paid tribute to the late Adadevoh, who, during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, made the ultimate sacrifice to protect Nigerians, describing her courage as a legacy of service.
“Imagine what might have happened if she had not put others before herself. Her selflessness should inspire us all to act with courage and think beyond our personal interest”, he added.
Gbajabiamila stressed that no government could solve public health challenges alone, urging citizens, communities and civil society to work together to strengthen Nigeria’s health system at all levels.
“Government can only do so much. In Nigeria or anywhere else, true progress requires collective effort. Governance is about all of us pulling together”, he said.
Earlier, DRASA’s Co-founder and CEO, Dr Niniola Williams, said the Trust was created to honour Adadevoh’s sacrifice by turning it into a national public health movement for change.
She revealed that DRASA’s next decade would focus on launching the DRASA Academy, a state-of-the-art training and simulation hub to strengthen frontline health worker and community preparedness.
“We aim to train 250,000 additional health workers and expand our health champions network to reach more than 500,000 Nigerians in schools, markets, faith institutions and border communities”, Williams stated.
She also announced plans to integrate antimicrobial resistance education into the school curricula and institutionalise youth engagement in Nigeria’s public health policy structure to ensure long-term system resilience.
Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, hailed the DRASA-NCDC partnership, describing it as instrumental in strengthening Nigeria’s infection prevention capabilities.
“At NCDC, DRASA is not just a partner, but a true collaborator. This partnership has helped us improve emergency preparedness and will remain vital to our future achievements”, Idris said.
Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, also lauded DRASA, describing its impact on research, training and community awareness as a model for homegrown public health innovation.
“DRASA has proven what it means to be purpose-driven and values-based. Its work is visible in schools, hospitals and local communities across Nigeria”, Ogunsola said.
NAN reports that DRASA reaffirmed its commitment to prevent infections, protect lives and strengthen the national health system through collaboration, innovation and education for long-term public health transformation.
In July 2014, Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer arrived Lagos with Ebola symptoms.
Adadevoh identified the risk, enforced quarantine and prevented a potential outbreak, ultimately sacrificing her life.
Since then, DRASA has trained thousands of health workers, enhanced infection control practices and supported Nigeria’s readiness for disease outbreaks using a “One Health” approach linking people, animals and the environment. NAN
