Rotimi Agbana In a move to ehnace disease preparedness and respons, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on data sharing and information exchange. According to a joint statement from both agencies on Tuesday, the primary goal is to establish a structured framework for data sharing and collaboration to enhance situational awareness, particularly for climate-sensitive diseases like cholera and malaria. The statement highlighted that the partnership would also assist in correlating climate patterns with disease outbreaks, enabling improved predictive models and risk assessments.
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, described the MoU—initially set for four years with provisions for renewal upon mutual agreement—as a significant achievement for both agencies. He emphasised that changing weather patterns continuously pose threats and serious challenges to health and well-being.
“Climate change is the most impactful threat to our health. This partnership with the NCDC will allow us to enhance our systems beyond current efforts. It is an important collaboration to strengthen preparedness and response to climate-related disasters.
“These elements are key components of the United Nations’ early warning system initiative. Investing in this area is essential to protect all citizens from climate-related risks,” Anosike stated. In his re.