134
By Tracy Moses
The Federal Government on Wednesday commemorated the first anniversary of the National Health Promotion Day, reaffirming its commitment to preventive healthcare, wellness promotion, and the overall strengthening of Nigeria’s health system.
The National Health Promotion Day was established in 2024 following a resolution by the National Council on Health (NCH) to institutionalize preventive health awareness and community mobilization nationwide. The initiative emerged after decades of curative health dominance and a growing recognition of the critical roles of behaviour, environment, and lifestyle in disease prevention.
The annual observance aims to raise public consciousness on preventive health, encourage healthy lifestyle choices, and promote inter-sectoral collaboration in addressing social determinants of health such as sanitation, nutrition, education, and environmental safety.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the commemoration in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms. Kachollom Daju (mni), who represented the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate (CON), described the event as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s health journey.
She noted that the day marked one year since the institutionalization of National Health Promotion Day, adding that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasizes preventive healthcare, productivity, and citizen well-being.
“This is a landmark achievement that demonstrates our collective commitment to strengthening preventive health measures and fostering a culture of wellness among our people,” Daju stated.
The theme for this year’s celebration, “Health Promotion: The Catalyst for Sustainable Health and Well-being of Nigerians,” with the slogan “Promoting Healthy Choices for a Healthy Lifestyle,” underscores the importance of prevention, behavioural change, and community participation in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.
According to Daju, the future of Nigeria’s health system depends not only on curative medicine but also on empowering individuals and communities with the knowledge and resources to make informed health choices.
“Health promotion is a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for improving health outcomes, boosting productivity, fostering safe environments, and addressing the social determinants of health proactively,” she said.
“Investing in health promotion delivers a multiplier effect, reducing disease burden, improving quality of life, and sustaining nation-building efforts.”
Daju commended the Department of Family Health, which houses the Health Promotion Division (HPD), for its dedication and collaboration with national and international partners in creating an enabling environment for health promotion interventions to thrive, even in emergency and humanitarian settings.
She reaffirmed the ministry’s vision of a Nigeria where health promotion is mainstreamed across all sectors, including education, environment, housing, and labour, and fully integrated into national health policies such as reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and elderly health programmes.
“The leadership of the ministry remains committed to driving health promotion sustainably to greater heights,” she added, while appreciating the media, development partners, and other stakeholders for their continued collaboration.
Delivering a goodwill message, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, commended the Federal Government for institutionalizing the National Health Promotion Day, a decision he described as a strategic investment in the nation’s health future.
Represented by Dr. Rex Mpazanje, WHO Health Promotion Team Lead, the organization reaffirmed its partnership with the Nigerian government in advancing community-led and evidence-based health promotion strategies.
“Health promotion is not merely about information dissemination; it is about empowering people and communities to take control of the determinants of their health,” Dr. Mpazanje said.
“Nigeria’s leadership in institutionalizing this day serves as a model for other African countries, showing how political will can accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage.”
He assured that WHO would continue to support the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in policy implementation, capacity building, and integrating health promotion into broader national development goals.
Also speaking, the Director, Health Promotion Division (HPD), Dr. John Uruakpa, emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration among government sectors, communities, and development partners to make health promotion the foundation of Nigeria’s public health strategy.
“This commemoration goes beyond ceremony; it’s a call to action,” Uruakpa said.
“For us to truly improve population health, every sector must see health as its responsibility, from schools and workplaces to communities and homes. Health promotion must be everyone’s business.”
He noted that sustained investments in health promotion would help tackle non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health challenges, and emerging public health threats.
Uruakpa also commended WHO, UNICEF, USAID, and other development partners for their continued technical and financial support to national and state-level health promotion initiatives, particularly in advancing community mobilization, risk communication, and behavioural change campaigns.
Earlier, the Director, Family Health Department, Dr. Binyerem Ukaire, welcomed participants to the event and announced minor adjustments to the day’s agenda due to official engagements.
She appreciated the presence of the former Director of Family Health, Dr. Philip Nwanoha, for his pioneering contributions toward institutionalizing health promotion as a national priority.
Dr. Ukaire urged all participants, including representatives of development partners, implementing agencies, and the media, to keep their goodwill messages concise to ensure a smooth and impactful programme.
The 2025 commemoration brought together top officials from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, representatives of development partners, non-governmental and community-based organizations, and members of the media, all united in promoting healthier lifestyles and preventive health strategies across Nigeria.