Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has called on African nations to prioritise health self-reliance and reduce dependence on foreign aid.
Senator Shettima made the appeal at a high-level event on health security sovereignty during the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Representing President Bola Tinubu, Shettima said Africa must invest in resilient systems capable of responding independently to health emergencies.
He also warned that global crises often expose the continent’s vulnerabilities, recalling how the COVID-19 pandemic left African nations scrambling for vaccines and medical supplies.
According to him, health security must be treated as a matter of national and continental survival.
Shettima argued that pandemics and counterfeit medicines ignore borders, making collective preparedness essential.
He said Nigeria is already taking steps to strengthen domestic capacity through reforms and strategic investments.
The Vice President highlighted the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, launched in December 2023, which secured over $2.2 billion in commitments tied to measurable targets.
The initiative aimed to revitalise more than 17,000 primary healthcare centres and train 120,000 frontline health workers within three years.
He added that expanding insurance coverage through the National Health Insurance Authority remains central to ensuring financial protection for citizens.
Shettima also cited efforts to boost local pharmaceutical manufacturing under the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain.
He said epidemic intelligence and emergency preparedness have been reinforced through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
Laboratory networks are being strengthened while genomic surveillance capacity is expanding nationwide.
On regulation, he noted that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has intensified enforcement against substandard and falsified medicines.
Quality control laboratories are being upgraded to meet international standards.
Shettima maintained that Africa’s future depends on its ability to build systems that can prevent, detect and respond to health threats without external dependence.
He further urged member states to work together to create a continent capable of safeguarding its own wellbeing.
