Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Nearly half of 415 healthcare facilities assessed in Lagos State have inadequate infection prevention and control (IPC) systems, raising concerns about their readiness to contain disease outbreaks.
A 2026 study published in BMJ Public Health found that 202 facilities, representing 48.8 per cent of those assessed, had inadequate IPC practices.
The assessment covered 214 private and 201 public primary and secondary healthcare facilities between July and October 2023. Researchers used a structured tool adapted from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF).
Dr Olayemi O. Dawodu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cerba-Lancet Laboratories Nigeria, presented the findings at the 2026 Scientific Conference of the Guild of Medical Directors (GMDs), Lagos State Branch, on Saturday.
The conference focused on “Emergency Preparedness for Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases.”
Dawodu said private facilities performed better than public facilities but warned that neither sector had achieved advanced IPC preparedness. “Infection prevention is not a department or a department of activity, but a standard of care that is driven by governance, and we as directors are charged with that responsibility,” she said.
She warned that poorly prepared hospitals could worsen disease outbreaks instead of containing them. “Every major outbreak has shown the same thing. The hospital without an infection prevention and control system becomes an amplifier,” Dawodu said.
Experts Call for Stronger Infection Control
Dawodu urged private healthcare providers to strengthen patient screening, establish designated isolation areas and improve referral systems and disease surveillance.
She also called for better hand hygiene, surgical-site infection monitoring and antimicrobial stewardship.
She described laboratories as “the engine of infection control” because they help convert clinical specimens into evidence for diagnosis and treatment.
The histopathologist proposed a private-sector IPC network and stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
She also advocated common infection control standards, peer mentoring and better access to trained IPC personnel. “Infection prevention is not a cost centre. It’s a licence to operate,” she said.
Dawodu further urged facilities to watch for unusual disease patterns, particularly as cross-border movement could accelerate the spread of infectious diseases.
She advised private hospitals to build working relationships with Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) and use established public health reporting channels. “If you do not actively look for a disease, you will not find it,” she said.
She urged healthcare providers to monitor unusual increases in cases and report suspected threats promptly to the relevant authorities.
GMDs Push for Better Emergency Preparedness
The Chairman of the GMDs Lagos State Branch, Dr Omoniyi Fagbemi, said the conference addressed the persistent threat of emerging and re-emerging diseases.
He cited Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak and the resurgence of diseases such as diphtheria as reminders of the need for stronger emergency preparedness. “The lesson is clear: emerging and re-emerging diseases are at our doorstep. As frontline healthcare practitioners, we must be abreast of them,” Fagbemi said.
He said medical directors must ensure their facilities can diagnose and treat patients while protecting healthcare workers, other patients and the wider community.
Fagbemi added that the guild had resolved to encourage members to participate in quality improvement programmes. Under the resolution, facilities are expected to attain at least Care Level Three after an agreed grace period.
Dr Folarin Opawoye, who presented on emergency preparedness, said the WHO’s IPCAF tool helps healthcare facilities assess their infection control systems and identify gaps.
He identified functional IPC programmes, evidence-based guidelines, staff training and surveillance of healthcare-associated infections as essential preparedness measures.
Other priorities include adequate staffing, infrastructure, running water, monitoring and feedback, and coordinated infection prevention strategies.
Opawoye also stressed the need to protect healthcare workers through appropriate adult vaccination and other preventive measures, especially during outbreaks.
Private Hospitals Urged to Build Sustainable Systems
The conference also examined the sustainability of private healthcare organisations.
Managing Director of Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals, Victoria Island, Dr Ayobami Kuyoro, urged medical directors to build organisations that can function effectively without depending entirely on their founders. “If we actually leave the hospital tomorrow, what will happen?” she asked.
Kuyoro said healthcare organisations need empowered staff, data-driven decisions, financial discipline and effective succession planning.
She also warned against adopting technology before fixing inefficient processes. “The digital version of a broken system is still a broken system,” she said.
The speakers agreed that outbreak preparedness must extend beyond emergency response. They called for infection prevention, disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, quality improvement and strong leadership to become routine parts of healthcare delivery.
About the Author
Hope Ajayi 
Mirian Gom 