The chief of staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, has called on Nigerians to prioritise prevention and preparedness as vital tools for achieving long-term improvements in national public health systems.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja during the 10th anniversary of the Ameyo Stella Adadevoh (DRASA) Health Trust, Mr Gbajabiamila said collective responsibility remained key to building a healthier and safer nation.

He commended DRASA for its decade-long commitment to advancing infection prevention, outbreak response, and health education, describing the initiative as essential to Nigeria’s health security and national development.

“This is what we need: institutions that sensitise people and promote the principle that prevention is better than cure. We must act before problems arise, not after damage is done,” he said.

He emphasised DRASA’s example as a model of proactive health engagement, stating that public health must be treated as a shared responsibility between governments, institutions, and the wider community.

“Health is wealth, and a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. DRASA embodies preparedness, prevention, and collective responsibility. That’s exactly the mindset Nigeria needs,” Mr Gbajabiamila said.

He also paid tribute to the late Adadevoh, who, during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, made the sacrifice to protect Nigerians, describing her courage as a legacy of service.

“Imagine what might have happened if she hadn’t put others before herself. Her selflessness should inspire us all to act with courage and think beyond our personal interests,” he added.

Mr Gbajabiamila stressed that no government could solve public health challenges alone, urging citizens, communities, and civil society to work together in strengthening Nigeria’s health systems at all levels.

“Government can only do so much. In Nigeria or anywhere else, true progress requires collective effort. Governance is about all of us pulling together,” he said.

Earlier, DRASA’s co-founder and CEO, Niniola Williams, said the trust was created to honour Ms Adadevoh’s sacrifice by turning it into a national public health movement for change.

She revealed that DRASA’s next decade would focus on launching the DRASA Academy, a state-of-the-art training and simulation hub to strengthen frontline health workers and community preparedness.

“We aim to train 250,000 additional health workers and expand our health champions’ network to reach more than 500,000 Nigerians in schools, markets, faith institutions, and border communities,” Ms Williams stated.

She also announced plans to integrate antimicrobial resistance education into school curricula and institutionalise youth engagement in Nigeria’s public health policy structures to ensure long-term system resilience.

The director general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Jide Idris, hailed the DRASA-NCDC partnership, calling it instrumental in strengthening Nigeria’s infection prevention capabilities.

“At NCDC, DRASA is not just a partner but a true collaborator. This partnership has helped us improve emergency preparedness and will remain vital to our future achievements,” Mr Idris said.

(NAN)