The Federal Government has approved release of State Outbreak Investigation and Response Funds (S-OIRF) to boost outbreak preparedness and response nationwide against Ebola Virus Disease and other emerging health threats.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, directed the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to release 50 per cent of the allocation, totaling N21.2 million per state.
He also instructed states to retire all outbreak-response funds within six months of receipt, ensuring proper accountability and timely financial reporting across all beneficiary states.
A statement by the Ministry’s Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, said the intervention complements national preparedness efforts, including the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila.
The statement read: “While Nigeria has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease, the federal government is taking proactive measures to ensure states have the resources required to strengthen surveillance, preparedness, and rapid response capacities in the event of any public health emergency.”
It added: “The approval provides a one-time special dispensation to enable states to access critical preparedness funding in view of current public health concerns, while reinforcing the government’s commitment to accountability and prudent management of public resources.”
Pate, who chairs the BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee, also directed states to retire both current and previously disbursed outbreak funds within six months, in line with financial regulations and accountability standards.
He said: “Preparedness remains one of the most effective tools in protecting public health.
”While it is important that states have timely access to resources needed to strengthen outbreak preparedness and response capacities, it is equally important that public funds are managed responsibly and accounted for in line with established regulations.”
The S-OIRF is a financing mechanism under the NCDC gateway of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, designed to strengthen surveillance systems, outbreak preparedness, and emergency response capacity across Nigerian states.
