The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Technical Working Group (TWG) to coordinate and drive integrated responses against NCDs across the state.
The inauguration, which took place on Tuesday, November 5, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, brought together key stakeholders including policymakers, healthcare professionals, development partners, and civil society organizations — all united by a shared commitment to curb what experts have described as a “silent epidemic.”
Speaking during the event, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, described NCDs such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases as a pressing public health challenge that demands immediate, coordinated, and sustained action.
“Non-communicable diseases are silently driving up the health burden across communities. We can no longer afford fragmented responses. The Technical Working Group provides a framework for collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and sustainable solutions that will strengthen our health system,” Dr. Ogboye said.
The establishment of the TWG is a major step toward achieving Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Health and Environment Agenda, which emphasizes preventive healthcare, improved access to quality services, and enhanced public health infrastructure across Lagos State.
According to the Ministry, the TWG will:
- Coordinate policy and strategy development for NCD prevention and management;
- Strengthen health systems by integrating NCD care into primary healthcare services;
- Promote preventive interventions addressing key risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and harmful alcohol consumption; and
- Support resource mobilization and sustainable financing mechanisms for long-term NCD control programs.
The TWG will also oversee monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess progress, identify implementation gaps, and provide technical guidance for evidence-based planning.
Membership of the group includes representatives from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, its agencies such as the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) and the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, as well as health districts, development partners, civil society organizations, academia, and patient advocacy groups.
Participants at the inauguration commended the initiative, describing it as a timely and strategic response to the rising incidence of chronic diseases in urban centres like Lagos.
By launching the NCDs Technical Working Group, Lagos State has taken a bold step toward a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to health — one that prioritizes prevention, equity, and sustainability in the fight against non-communicable diseases.
