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Wednesday, March 11, 2026

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 42ND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIANS OF NIGERIA (APHPN) HELD FROM 9TH–13TH FEBRUARY 2026 MUHAMMAD INDIMI

CONFERENCE CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE

Conference Theme:

“Healing in the Crossfire: Health Under

Threat – Delivering Health Services in

Conflict and Crisis.

”

PREAMBLE

The Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria

(APHPN) convened its 42nd Annual General Meeting

and Scientific Conference in Maiduguri, Borno State,

bringing together over 300 public health physicians,

policymakers, humanitarian actors, development partners,

and academics from across Nigeria.

The conference theme reflects both global and national realities: fragile and conflict-affected  settings account for a disproportionate burden of maternal and child mortality, infectious disease outbreaks, malnutrition, gender-based violence, and mental health disorders. In Nigeria, overlapping insecurity in the North-East, North- West, North-Central and other regions has resulted in displacement, weakened health systems, and widening inequities.

Through plenary lectures, keynote address, policy dialogues, and scientific abstract presentations, participants examined strategies for delivering Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent, Elderly Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAEH+N) services, strengthening health systems, addressing gender-based violence, integrating mental health and psychosocial support, responding to epidemics, and protecting healthcare workers in conflict and crisis settings.

KEY OBSERVATIONS

1. Conflict as a determinant of poor health outcomes:

Conflict and insecurity continue to undermine health

system functionality across several regions of Nigeria.

Destruction of infrastructure, disruption of supply chains,

displacement of health workers, and weakened surveillance

systems have contributed to  increased maternal and

neonatal mortality, low immunization coverage in insecure

areas, rising malnutrition, outbreaks of communicable

diseases, escalating mental health disorders and increasing

incidence of emerging and re-emerging diseases.

2. Women, children, adolescents, the elderly, and internally displaced populations bear a disproportionate burden of poor health outcomes in crisis settings, including heightened exposure to gender-based violence and psychosocial distress.

3. Delivering RMNCAEH+N in conflict settings remains fragile: The North-East remains emblematic of a protracted humanitarian health crisis. States in the North-East continue to report some of the poorest RMNCAEH+N indicators nationally. In several LGAs previously affected by insurgency, over half of health facilities were rendered non-functional at the peak of the crisis.

Although recovery efforts are ongoing, service delivery remains dependent on mobile outreach, task-shifting, community health volunteers, and humanitarian partnerships. Innovative interventions such as the Safer Birth Bundle of Care in Borno State demonstrate the potential of continuous quality improvement even in fragile settings.

4. Mental Health Crisis in Conflict and Fragile Settings: There is a substantial but under-recognised burden of trauma, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress

disorders in conflict-affected populations. Mental health services remain underfunded and poorly integrated into primary health care.

Health  workers themselves experience burnout  and secondary trauma in insecure environments

5. Violence Against Health Workers: Violence against healthcare workers and attacks on health facilities continue  to  undermine  service delivery, threatening service continuity. Insecurity limits workforce retention, discourages rural posting and compromised emergency response capacity.

6. Weak Health Information Systems in Crisis Contexts: Poor data systems at national, subnational, and local government levels limit evidence-based planning, resource allocation and epidemic response in fragile settings.

Conflict-sensitive surveillance systems remain inadequate

7. Climate change as a health risk multiplier: Climate change is compounding insecurity-related vulnerabilities, contributing to malnutrition, vector-borne diseases, Lassa fever outbreaks and other epidemic risks, and displacement.

The health sector’s adaptation strategies remain insufficient

8. Emerging and context-specific public health concerns— including Lassa fever outbreaks reported in Bauchi State, Buruli ulcer outbreaks in Benue State, HIV burden in certain states, like Taraba, and increasing recognition of Vitamin D deficiency as silent epidemic among the upper class with increasing risk of bone disorders, metabolic diseases, immune  dysfunction, depression, and  cardiovascular conditions—require public health advocacy, public enlightenment, strengthening surveillance and coordinated policy response.

9. Health Governance and Workforce Policy Concerns: Recent workforce policy developments like the creation of a Public Health Officer (PHO) cadre in Lagos State without adequate stakeholder consultation risks fragmentation, duplication of roles, and disruption of established public health structures if not guided by broad stakeholder consultation.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Association makes the following recommendations:

A. Strengthening Health Systems in Conflict Settings

1.   Federal    and    State   Governments     should

institutionalise conflict-sensitive health planning and

integrate humanitarian-development  approaches into

state health strategies.

2. Increase investment in rebuilding and protecting

health infrastructure in conflict-affected regions.

3.  Establish mechanisms  to  safeguard  healthcare

workers  and   enforce  protections   consistent   with

international humanitarian principles.

4. Develop retention incentives and security support

systems for frontline health workers.

B. RMNCAEH+N Continuity in Crisis

5. Scale up adaptive service delivery models, including

mobile outreach, community-based interventions, and

task-shifting frameworks.

6. Expand quality improvement initiatives such as the

Safer Birth Bundle of Care in high-mortality states.

7. Ensure uninterrupted immunisation and nutrition

services in hard-to-reach communities.

C.  Gender-Based  Violence  and  Mental  Health

Integration

8. Integrate comprehensive GBV services — including

clinical management of rape, psychosocial support, and

referral pathways — into primary health care.

9. Mainstream  Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

(MHPSS) into  state health  plans and  humanitarian

response frameworks.

10. Provide  structured  psychosocial support  and

trauma care for health workers in insecure environments.

D. Data, Surveillance, and Epidemic Preparedness

11.  Strengthen  health  information   systems  and

conflict-sensitive surveillance mechanisms at all levels.

12. Establish multi-sectoral Technical Working Groups

(TWGs) for Lassa fever and other emerging epidemics

in high-burden states.

13. Improve  integration  of  genomic, spatial, and

environmental data for diseases such as Buruli ulcer.

E. Climate-Resilient Health Systems

14. Recognise climate change  as  a  public  health

emergency and integrate climate adaptation into health

infrastructure planning.

15. Develop climate–health early warning systems and

promote renewable energy transition in health facilities.

F. Public Health Workforce Governance

16. Withdraw the circular establishing the PHO cadre

in Lagos State and engage stakeholders in developing

coherent public health workforce reforms.

G. Emerging Public Health Priorities

17. APHPN should engage in intensive public health

enlightenment,  screening  and  supplementation  for

high-risk  populations  and  advocacy towards  policy

formulation to address the silent epidemic of vitamin D

deficiency in Nigeria.

18. Strengthen cross-border and migratory surveillance

for neglected tropical diseases and infectious disease

threats

CONCLUSION

Nigeria cannot achieve health equity or Universal Health

Coverage without addressing the realities of conflict,

insecurity, climate vulnerability, and systemic fragility.

Healing in  the  crossfire demands  resilient systems,

protected  health  workers,  integrated  services, and

sustained political commitment.

The Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to advancing evidence-based policies and collaborative action to safeguard the health of all Nigerians, even in times of crisis.

APPRECIATION

The Association expresses profound  gratitude to the

Government and people of Borno State, development

partners, humanitarian agencies, academic institutions,

and all participants who contributed to the success of the

conference.

Dr. Terfa Simon Kene             Dr. Augustine Ajogwu

President                                Secretary General

Date: 9/03/26

An economist, Prof. Sherifdeen Tella, has supported the Federal Government’s decision to sell some state assets, stating that the move would enhance the country’s fiscal revenue position.

Tella, of the Department of Economics at Babcock University, Ogun, made the remarks in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday.

He stressed that the government should be commended for ensuring that some state assets were sold to become more productive for the overall economy.

“Since the government has invested a lot of public funds in these national assets, they should not be sold outright.

“Rather, regulators should consider partnering with foreign firms that have proven track records and possess adequate financial and technical know-how to manage such enterprises,” Tella said.

He emphasised that allowing more private investment in selected state assets would reposition them to grow and generate more revenue for the country.

“This will boost the government’s revenue position and support the full implementation of the capital component of the budget.

“Issues relating to the country’s reliance on foreign loans may also decline due to the availability of funds,” Tella added.

He noted that the government should be more transparent and thorough in choosing the most suitable partners in order to avoid the mistakes of the past.

Similarly, Okechukwu Unegbu, former President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, also supported the government’s actions regarding some state assets.

“The government should be commended for taking such a stand, because the authorities cannot continue expending scarce resources on such national edifices, which could be better harnessed and managed by the private sector, given past antecedents,” Unegbu said.

He stressed that the government’s decision to sell the assets was imperative in order to reduce waste, especially in light of current revenue challenges.

“This will ultimately free up funds to be injected into other sectors that will spur economic growth, including the expansion of existing seaports and the completion of railway tracks across the country to facilitate trade,” Unegbu added.

Recall that the federal government has announced plans to begin the sale of some state-owned assets to private investors starting in 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen the economy and attract more investment.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, made this known on Monday during an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies held in Saudi Arabia.

Edun explained that the government was already working on identifying which public assets would be put up for sale and determining when the transactions would take place.

From Jude Dangwam, Jos

No fewer than 37 miners have died following a suspected gas leak and explosion at an underground mining site in Kampani Zurak community, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The tragic incident, believed to have been caused by carbon monoxide and other toxic gaseous emissions, occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when dozens of local miners returned to the tunnel after observing morning prayers.

Eyewitnesses said the miners had briefly left the site around 5:30am for prayers and were alive at the time. However, when they returned to resume work at about 6:30am, many reportedly collapsed inside the tunnel after inhaling the poisonous fumes.

Safiyanu Haruna, a miner in the community, said 37 persons were confirmed dead, while more than 20 others sustained injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Wase town for treatment. Funeral prayers for the deceased were ongoing as of press time.

Confirming the development, Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, described the incident as a tragic explosion triggered by a suspected gas leak. She said at least 33 persons were inside the tunnel at the time, with many feared dead and others currently receiving treatment in nearby hospitals.

Ramnap said the Plateau State Government had received the news “with deep shock and profound sadness,” extending condolences to the bereaved families and assuring that the government was working with security agencies, emergency responders and health authorities to manage the situation.

She added that the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, had contacted Governor Caleb Mutfwang and directed the immediate suspension of mining activities in the affected area pending investigations.

In a swift federal response, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, ordered the sealing of the mining site located in Zuraq, Wase LGA.

In a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the minister disclosed that the affected site falls under Mining Licence 11810 operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited, owned by Abdullahi Dan-China.

Alake said preliminary reports indicated that the company had ceded the abandoned lead mining pit to members of the community following agitations for economic empowerment. The site, described as prone to toxic emissions including sulphuric oxide, was allegedly being mined by villagers unaware of the health risks posed by the stored minerals.

He announced that a high-powered investigative team led by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Yusuf Yabo, had been dispatched to determine both the immediate and remote causes of the disaster and recommend appropriate sanctions. The team includes experts in mining regulation, environmental compliance and artisanal mining cooperatives.

Wase LGA Chairman, Hamisu Anani, also confirmed the death toll, stating that 25 persons were hospitalised following exposure to the gaseous emissions.

As investigations commence, both state and federal authorities have pledged to enforce stricter safety standards and ensure accountability to prevent a recurrence of such tragedy in Plateau’s mining communities.

The disaster has once again drawn attention to the hazards surrounding informal and poorly regulated mining activities in the region, where many residents rely on artisanal mining as a primary source of livelihood.