By Ayomide Otitoju
The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Technical Working Group (TWG) to coordinate and implement integrated strategies aimed at addressing the growing burden of NCDs across the State.
The inauguration, held on Tuesday, November 5, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, brought together policymakers, healthcare professionals, development partners, and civil society organizations.
According to the Lagos State Ministry of Health, the TWG will serve as a platform to strengthen policy development, integrate NCD services into primary healthcare, and promote preventive interventions against risk factors such as tobacco use, poor diets, physical inactivity, and harmful alcohol consumption.
It will also facilitate coordination among government agencies, development partners, and the private sector to ensure sustainability, while overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and resource mobilization for long-term NCD control programs.
Speaking at the inauguration, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, described the initiative as a significant milestone in the State’s health sector reform. He emphasized that NCDs such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, sickle cell disease, and mental health disorders now account for nearly 29% of all deaths in Nigeria.
“As our population grows and lifestyles change, we are witnessing a rise in diseases that do not make dramatic entrances but claim lives silently,” Ogboye said. He stressed the need for a coordinated, data-driven approach that moves the State from “reactive care to proactive prevention.”
Ogboye reaffirmed the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment under the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda to strengthen the health system through initiatives such as the Lagos State Health Scheme, LASAMBUS, and the State’s Hypertension, Diabetes, and Mental Health Programs.
Dr. Victoria Egunjobi, Director of Disease Control, said the TWG represents a shift from fragmented to unified efforts in tackling NCDs, adding that the platform will act as a think tank to guide evidence-based program design and implementation.
Health Analyst at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Vivian Nwakolobi, commended Lagos for prioritizing NCD prevention, noting that CHAI will continue supporting ongoing programs such as REACH, Type 1 Diabetes, Sickle Cell, and Cervical Cancer Control.
Similarly, Dr. Somefun Esther of UNFPA lauded the initiative as a “testament to what can be achieved through partnership,” while Dr. Esegine Jonathan Oji, Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Lagos Chapter, emphasized the need for sustained public education on chronic illnesses.
NMA Lagos Chairman, Dr. Saheed Babajide Kehinde, urged the TWG to focus on prevention, affordability, and early detection, especially for hypertension and diabetes.
With this development, Lagos State reinforces its leadership in health system innovation, taking a decisive step toward Universal Health Coverage and the sustainable management of one of the 21st century’s fastest-growing health challenges — Non-Communicable Diseases.
