ADAMAWA State and UNICEF VOWS to tackle issue of Health across the state.

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By Alhassan Haladu Yola.

‎The Adamawa State Government has intensified efforts to prevent disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies with the commencement of a comprehensive multi-hazard risk assessment framework designed to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms across the state.

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‎The initiative took centre stage in Yola on Monday as key stakeholders in the health sector convened for a five-day capacity-building workshop aimed at developing a robust roadmap for identifying, assessing and mitigating health-related risks before they escalate into full-blown emergencies.

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‎Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Hon. Muhammad Chubado Jada, described the exercise as a critical step towards building a resilient public health system capable of responding swiftly to emerging threats.

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‎Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Pharmacist Zira Mathias Babani, the commissioner expressed appreciation to development partners for supporting the state in formulating a practical framework for public health emergency preparedness and response.

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‎He urged participants to actively contribute to the process, stressing that the framework would serve as a strategic policy instrument for safeguarding lives and promoting public health security across Adamawa.

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‎The workshop organized by UNICEF in conjunction with Adamawa State government with funding from US government, brought together experts and representatives from relevant government ministries, departments and agencies, including health, water resources, environment, agriculture and security sectors, alongside development partners and officials from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

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‎UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr. Eghe Abe, said the training is designed to identify and prioritise multiple hazards capable of triggering public health emergencies while equipping stakeholders with professional planning tools to manage such threats effectively.

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‎According to him, public health emergencies are becoming increasingly frequent due to recurrent disease outbreaks and the growing impact of climate change, making proactive planning more critical than ever.

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‎Dr. Abe disclosed that UNICEF, in collaboration with the Federal and Adamawa State Governments and with funding support from the United States Government, is facilitating the development of the framework to enable authorities identify, monitor and respond to recurring hazards.

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‎He explained that the risk assessment would cover a broad spectrum of threats, including biological, chemical, environmental and security-related hazards such as cholera, measles, Ebola, COVID-19, flooding, erosion, communal conflicts, banditry and terrorism.

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‎Also speaking, NCDC representative Dr. Muntari Hassan and Adamawa State Epidemiologist, Kadabiyu Jones, described the intervention as timely, noting that it would significantly enhance the state's capacity to tackle public health challenges through evidence-based planning and proactive response strategies.

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‎They maintained that once finalised, the framework would provide a guiding document for rapid hazard identification, risk assessment, preparedness and emergency response.

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‎"The workshop seeks to identify, describe and prioritise multi-hazard risks that can trigger sub-national health emergencies, while assessing Adamawa State's capacity to manage concurrent emergencies, including infrastructure, human resources and overall system functionality," they stated.

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‎The training workshop, which commenced on June 22, is expected to run through June 27, 2026, culminating in the development of a strategic framework aimed at strengthening Adamawa's resilience against disease outbreaks and other public health threats.

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