Cross River Endorses Health Law Reform to Boost Emergency Preparedness

By: Julian Osamoto

Cross River State has endorsed a major legal reform aimed at strengthening its public health emergency response, following the validation of its 2025 Public Health Legal Assessment Report.

The report, developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the international health organisation Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), was reviewed during a stakeholder meeting held in Calabar.

More than 30 participants including representatives from government ministries, civil society, and development partners, gathered to examine the findings and chart a way forward for health law reform in the state.

The assessment revealed serious legislative gaps in the state’s public health framework, including the absence of definitions for key terms such as “quarantine” and “public health emergency,” weak disease surveillance structures, lack of biosafety standards in laboratories, and limited emergency health financing.

 According to Hon. Ededem Ani, the state’s Commissioner for Justice, “This validation is not just a bureaucratic step, it’s a declaration of our commitment to protecting citizens through legal preparedness,”

He said the report, aligned with International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), recommends integrating globally accepted legal definitions, formally adopting the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) framework, and establishing a statutory emergency fund.

Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, Commissioner for Health explained that, “Legal frameworks are the backbone of a resilient health system, this process gives us a clearer understanding of where we are and where we need to go. It will guide the development of a new Public Health Security Law.”

He noted that the proposed law will outline responsibilities across various government departments, improve inter-agency coordination, and codify emergency response mechanisms in the event of disease outbreaks or other public health threats.

In his remarks, Barr. Emem Udoh, Senior Legal Advisor of RTSL Nigeria, lauded the state’s leadership, stressing that, “What we’re seeing in Cross River is a model of ownership and collaboration, Legal clarity is essential to effective epidemic preparedness.”

Contributing, Barr. Aniekan Akpan, from Orixine consulting, added: “This has been one of the most participatory and technically sound legal assessments we’ve facilitated in Nigeria.”

With the validation process complete, work will now begin on drafting the Public Health Security Bill, which is expected to lay the foundation for a more responsive and coordinated health system in Cross River State.