By Fatima Saka
Abuja, Nigeria — A sharp divergence has emerged between the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre (NTBLTC), Zaria, over a bill seeking to establish the National Institute for Public Health and Infectious Diseases.
The disagreement came to the fore on Thursday during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases, where stakeholders deliberated on two major health-related bills.
While the NTBLTC strongly supported the proposed institute, describing it as a transformative step toward strengthening Nigeria’s health security, the NCDC cautioned that the bill, as currently structured, would duplicate existing mandates, create institutional conflicts, and weaken the country’s public health system.
Declaring the hearing open, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Hon. Bashir Zubairu, said the exercise was both a legislative duty and a moral responsibility aimed at ensuring the bills reflect Nigeria’s evolving health needs.
He explained that the proposed institute is intended to boost national capacity in infectious disease research, surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, and emergency response. The idea, he noted, was informed by an oversight visit to the NTBLTC in October 2025, where lawmakers observed underutilised human and infrastructural resources.
“The visit became the catalyst for the reforms now before this committee,” he said.
Tajudeen added that the centre’s upgrade into a national public health institute had already received approval, alongside the renaming of the committee to reflect broader oversight responsibilities.
In his submission, Acting Director-General of NTBLTC, Dr. Dalhatu Abdullahi, endorsed the bill, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the centre’s upgrade in November 2025.
According to him, the proposed institute would expand the centre’s mandate beyond tuberculosis and leprosy to cover all infectious diseases of public health importance, while preserving its longstanding legacy.
“The upgrade builds on our institutional strengths and positions Nigeria to better respond to emerging health threats,” Abdullahi said.
He, however, proposed amendments to strengthen the bill, including the transfer of all NTBLTC assets to the new institute, expansion of its governing board, establishment of specialised departments, and creation of zonal offices to improve nationwide access to services.
He also advocated stronger collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, universities, and international partners, describing the initiative as a “historic opportunity” to build a world-class public health institution.
In contrast, the Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, warned lawmakers against establishing what he described as a parallel public health authority.
He argued that the proposed institute would assume responsibilities already assigned to the NCDC under its 2018 Act, including disease surveillance, outbreak response, and coordination of national and international health regulations.
“The proposed institute substantially duplicates existing statutory functions and raises concerns about institutional overlap, legal conflicts, and fiscal sustainability,” Idris said.
He stressed that public health emergencies require a single, clearly defined national authority, warning that multiple institutions with overlapping mandates could create confusion during crises.
“Creating another institution with similar responsibilities may generate uncertainty over leadership and accountability during outbreaks,” he added.
Idris further questioned the financial implications of establishing a new federal agency, noting that significant investments had already been made in strengthening the NCDC’s infrastructure, including laboratory networks, emergency operations centres, and workforce development.
He urged lawmakers to prioritise strengthening existing systems rather than creating new structures that could strain limited resources.
Drawing from Nigeria’s response to past outbreaks such as Ebola, COVID-19, Lassa fever, and cholera, he emphasised that effective management had depended on unified coordination.
While supporting the upgrade of specialised institutions for research and clinical services, he maintained that such efforts should complement—not duplicate—the NCDC’s role.
Also considered at the hearing was a second bill seeking to prohibit discrimination against persons living with or affected by tuberculosis.
Speaker Tajudeen noted that the legislation aims to address stigma, which has discouraged many from seeking testing and treatment, while balancing individual rights with public health considerations.
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In his remarks, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mark Udo Esset, assured stakeholders that all submissions would be thoroughly reviewed.
He said the committee remains committed to enacting laws that strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks, promote research and innovation, and protect the rights of vulnerable populations without creating avoidable institutional conflicts.
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