Kogi rises to 10th position in 2025 health preparedness index

Kogi State has climbed from the 18th position in 2023 and 2024 to the 10th position in the 2025 SBM Health Preparedness Index (HPI).

The SBM Health Preparedness Index assesses the capacity of Nigeria’s 36 states to effectively respond to health emergencies and deliver quality healthcare services.

The annual report draws data from credible national and international institutions including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), World Health Organisation (WHO), The Lancet, Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), BudgIT, TheCable, the faculty of medical sciences of Radboud University, and the Global Data Lab.

The index evaluates key indicators such as budgetary commitments, human resource capacity, and health outcomes, using the most recent available data.

Speaking on the development, Abdilazeez Adeiza Adams, the coordinating commissioner for health, described the improvement as “a testament to the strategic leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and the dedication of the health workforce in Kogi State”.

He noted that the state government remains “fully committed to strengthening the health system to achieve universal health coverage, enhance emergency response capacity, and surpass national benchmarks in the coming years”.

“This is an encouraging development, but we are not relenting. We are scaling up investments in primary healthcare, training more professionals, and expanding access to quality medical services across all local government areas. Our ultimate goal is to make Kogi a model of resilience and efficiency in Nigeria’s health sector,” Adams said.

Also commenting on the report, Kingsley Fanwo, the commissioner for information and communications, said Kogi state continues to shine in healthcare delivery under the leadership of Usman Ododo’s administration.

“This is a positive response to the challenge posed to the Coordinating Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdilazeez Adeiza Adams, to move Kogi up from the 18th position she occupied in 2023 and 2024. The Ministry has done the needful, and now the Governor has further challenged the Health Team to push Kogi even higher,” he said.

Fanwo added that the development reflects the tangible outcomes of the administration’s people-centered policies.

“Our investment in health is paying off. This is the real measure of development, when governance directly improves lives and strengthens our health sector capacity”, he said..