By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
At the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the Federal Government of Nigeria has called for stronger global investment to bridge the funding gap in the prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the promotion of mental health and well-being.
Delivering Nigeria’s statement on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, highlighted the country’s progress in tackling NCDs. He noted the development of a National NCD Policy, a Multisectoral Action Plan, the enactment of targeted legislation to address key risk factors, and the strengthening of primary health care systems through expanded health insurance and public awareness campaigns.
Dr. Salako also announced that Nigeria has established six cancer centres of excellence, and successfully vaccinated over 14 million adolescent girls—about 96% of the target population—against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) to protect them from cervical cancer.
The Minister of State for Health emphasized that with global solidarity, the sharing of best practices, and renewed investments, countries around the world can collectively reduce premature mortality from NCDs by 2030 and advance mental health and well-being for all.
