From October 21 to 24, 2024, the Nasarawa State Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Health, with the support of Orixine Consulting and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), convened a legal assessment meeting at Golden Dabis Hotel, Keffi, as part of the Nasarawa State Public Health Legal Reform Project. With participants from the Ministries of Health, Justice, Agriculture, and Environment, as well as representatives from CSOs and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the meeting focused on evaluating current public health laws in Nasarawa to identify gaps and align with the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.
The event opened with remarks from Barr. Amira Abubakar of NCDC presented on the IHR’s legal obligations, emphasising the need for stronger frameworks to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats. Barr. Emem Udoh of RTSL followed with insights into the subnational legal assessment process, highlighting key gaps identified by the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) in 2017 and 2023 and the importance of subnational legislative updates.
Discussions revealed that while Nasarawa’s laws cover some aspects of public health, there are significant gaps. For example, current legislation does not sufficiently support surveillance systems, lacks provisions for reporting structures, and fails to address essential areas like laboratory standards, food safety, and zoonotic disease surveillance. Notably, the laws also need stronger frameworks for data protection, respect for human rights, and gender equity, especially during health emergencies.
The group proposed the enactment of a new Public Health Law to address these deficiencies. Recommendations included legal backing for the establishment of a public health emergency operations centre (PHEOC), integrating surveillance and data-sharing mechanisms, and improving inter-ministerial collaboration. Additionally, the group emphasised the importance of including gender equity and privacy protections within public health policies.
The meeting concluded with action plans for a validation and drafting meeting to finalise recommendations and prepare a comprehensive public health law for Nasarawa State. This meeting marks a significant step in strengthening Nasarawa’s health security and setting a model for other states to follow in health security preparedness and response.
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