Renowned public health expert, Dr. Chinedu Agbakwuru, has called on all tiers of government and key stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector to adopt data-driven reforms as a foundation for innovation and sustainable healthcare development.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Dr. Agbakwuru emphasised that leveraging accurate and actionable data is critical to building efficient, responsive, and future-ready health systems capable of delivering measurable outcomes. He noted that data-centric models are essential for strengthening primary healthcare, addressing public health challenges, and enhancing service delivery.
“Data collection and monitoring are highly effective in executing public health programmes when the data is properly interpreted and communicated,” he said. “Both elements are vital to unlocking the transformative power of data and achieving tangible results.”
Dr. Agbakwuru explained that true progress in global health is realised when countries take ownership of their healthcare strategies and adopt systematic data interpretation to guide reforms. He stressed that this approach not only improves accountability and transparency but also fosters public trust and ensures long-term system sustainability.
Drawing from his experience as a Programme Director at the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland, he highlighted several large-scale health initiatives across Africa that were anchored on data-driven strategies. These include US-funded programmes in Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, and Botswana aimed at modernising public health infrastructure and shaping evidence-based policies.
He cited the Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey as a landmark example, describing it as the most extensive population health survey ever conducted globally. The initiative mobilised over 1,800 trained personnel and reached more than 200,000 households, setting a new benchmark for national data collection. Its scope extended beyond HIV to encompass maternal health, infectious disease surveillance, and chronic disease management.
Additionally, Dr. Agbakwuru referenced the Population-Based Capacity Strengthening Tool, a framework he pioneered, which is now widely used to assess national programme performance, health workforce development, and system resilience. This tool has significantly contributed to enhancing primary healthcare delivery and informed strategic shifts in public health approaches, enabling more targeted interventions, improved treatment coverage, and efficient resource allocation.
He noted that these data-driven adjustments have led to better health outcomes and renewed international investments from bodies such as PEPFAR, the Global Fund, and bilateral partners.
Dr. Agbakwuru, who has received prestigious recognitions including the CDC Special Services Award, WHO Award for Exceptional Service, and the David Barry ‘Think Big’ Innovation Award, concluded that aligning Nigeria’s health information systems with global best practices is key to building resilient and adaptive public health structures. He stressed that such systems would be better equipped to confront both current and future health challenges across multiple disease domains.
