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21 July 2022
The Nigeria NCDI Poverty Commission, held its first expanded national priority setting meeting on 14th July 2022. It was a hybrid meeting with some commissioners physically present, while others joined in virtually. The Director Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, who doubles as the Commission’s chair, Dr M. O. Alex-Okoh, gave the opening remarks and welcomed the commissioners.
The Commission comprises 25 members from various sectors, with the responsibility to select priority Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Injuries, and targeted interventions for the country. During the meeting, the commissioners discussed conditions and interventions that should be prioritized in Nigeria, based on available data and expert opinion.
HSDF representatives making presentations at the meeting
The global agenda for NCDs have mostly focused on four diseases and their four lifestyle behavioral risk factors. As a result, these NCDs (cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases) and their preventable behaviours (unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, harmful alcohol use), have been the focus of global policies and funding. According to the NCDI Poverty Network, this agenda has overlooked NCDs that are not linked to preventable behaviours and suffered disproportionately by the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations. Such NCDs include Type 1 and malnutrition-associated diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, sickle cell disease, childhood cancers, asthma, chronic kidney disease, epilepsy, mental health conditions and trauma, among others.
To expand the global NCDs agenda in the interest of equity, the Lancet Commission on reframing non-communicable diseases and injuries (NCDIs) for the poorest billion (Lancet NCDI Poverty Commission) is building country-level action in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, including Nigeria. It is achieving this objective through the NCDI Poverty Network, with support from the National NCDI Poverty Commissions.
The Nigeria NCDI Poverty Commission has its secretariat domiciled in the NCDs division at the Federal Ministry of Health and is supported by the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF). Since its establishment, the Commission has conducted analysis to highlight conditions with high disease burden and less common but severe conditions. Equity is also considered to ensure conditions affecting the poorest, vulnerable and marginalized populations are recommended.
Established in March 2020, the Commission has a mandate to conduct a situation analysis and priority setting on NCDIs at the national level. Having completed the situation analysis, the commissioners came together for the priority setting exercise.
The Director Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr M. O. Alex-Okoh (middle) with the commissioners, representatives from the Ministry of Health and HSDF
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