U.S. Deepens West Africa’s Outbreak Response Capacity with Specialized Training in Nigeria

In a decisive move to strengthen West Africa’s public health defenses, the United States Government has intensified its support for regional epidemic preparedness through a strategic training initiative held in Nigeria’s capital.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), hosted the first-ever Regional Public Health Emergency Management Training in Abuja. The high-level program gathered seventeen emergency operations personnel from across West Africa for a rigorous two-week course designed to sharpen their expertise in outbreak preparedness and response coordination.

According to a release from the U.S. Mission in Abuja, the training focused on equipping participants with practical knowledge to effectively manage Incident Management Systems—a critical framework used in responding to pandemics and major health crises.

At the graduation ceremony, Asmau Aminu-Alhaji, Acting Director of Global Health Protection at the U.S. CDC, hailed the participants for their unwavering dedication to safeguarding public health across borders. She emphasized the vital importance of regional collaboration in tackling transnational health threats, noting that no country can stand alone in the fight against disease outbreaks.

“This initiative reflects America’s broader commitment to global health security,” Aminu-Alhaji said, underscoring that empowering frontline responders with advanced emergency management skills remains a cornerstone of effective pandemic response efforts.

The training forms part of the U.S. Government’s ongoing investment in resilient health systems across Africa and aims to build a coordinated, rapid-response workforce capable of confronting emerging infectious diseases head-on.