By Victor Oluwaseyifunmi
Lagos and Delta states has taken a bold step to integrate public health officer cadre into their workforce which is in line with global best practices. This model should be scaled nationwide with federal leadership. As we mark World Health Day 2026, let this be a turning point—where Nigeria commits to prevention, workforce reform and a resilient health system.
Nigeria can’t achieve prevention without the right workforce! Digital publication platform
On this World Health Day 2026, I write not just to commemorate, but to raise urgent national concern about the future of our health system.
Nigeria faces worsening realities: insecurity displacing communities, floods triggering disease outbreaks, a growing dual burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases and widespread nutritional deficiencies especially among women and children. These are not isolated issues—they are symptoms of weak prevention systems.
Nigeria has the highest malaria burden globally. We rank second in under-five deaths and remain among the countries with the highest maternal mortality, alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad. We are first in Africa and sixth globally in tuberculosis prevalence and carry the second highest HIV/AIDS burden worldwide. Non-communicable diseases are rising rapidly: over 10 million Nigerians live with diabete, and nearly 128,000 new cancer cases are recorded annually according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. These are undoubtedly preventable conditions. Yet, we remain trapped in a cycle of reaction instead of prevention.
At the center of this crisis is a workforce imbalance. Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio remains critically low, yet many doctors are diverted into public health and administrative roles that should be filled by public health professionals and healthcare administrators, respectively. Public health is multidisciplinary and requires comprehensive knowledge in epidemiology, surveillance, nutrition, health promotion, and community engagement rather than medical science which mainly focus on clinical care.
It is particularly concerning that universities across Nigeria continue to produce thousands of public health graduates annually, yet these individuals face poorly defined job placements, limited career pathways, and systemic exclusion from roles they are trained to fill. Many remain unemployed or underutilized, while their responsibilities are absorbed within existing structures. This reality contradicts the vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, which prioritizes jobs, growth, and wellbeing.
The lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic exposed serious gaps in emergency preparedness, workforce coordination and response systems. We cannot afford a repeat. Healthcare must function as a team effort so doctors should focus on patient care, while public health professionals lead prevention and population health strategies.
Lagos and Delta states has taken a bold step to integrate public health officer cadre into their workforce which is in line with global best practices. This model should be scaled nationwide with federal leadership. As we mark World Health Day 2026, let this be a turning point—where Nigeria commits to prevention, workforce reform and a resilient health system. Nigeria news updates
This is not a clash of professions but a call for balance.
Not for competition but for coordination.
THE COST OF INACTION IS TOO HIGH! Thank you.
Victor Oluwaseyifunmi is a Writer, Author, Young and Academic Public Health Researcher.
