By Ugwu Promise and Joy Lawrence

The Enugu State Government has called for institutional and curriculum reform in the health education sector to meet emerging relatives.

The Commissioner for Health in the state, Prof George Ugwu made the call in Enugu while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Nigeria Association of Health Educators, NAHE, and Health Education Practitioners of Nigeria, HEPN, Annual National Conference held at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, in Thursday

With the theme “Reimagining Health Education: Building Resilient Systems, Empowering Healthy Nations,” Prof Ugwu and other stakeholders demanded urgent curriculum reform and stronger digital health literacy to address gaps in Nigeria’s public health delivery.

Delivering the keynote, Prof George Ugwu, who traced the shift in health education from the 1900s to the present and asked, “Who will educate the health educator?” He said older models must give way to new approaches. Citing data, he noted a projected 11 million global health workforce shortfall by 2030, 29 percent hypertension awareness, and that 46.08 percent of information during COVID-19 vaccination was tied to anti-vaccine conspiracy.

According to him, “misinformation weakened trust and turned digital literacy gaps into health literacy gaps.”

To address persistent burdens such as maternal and child mortality, malnutrition, and malaria, Prof. Ugwu proposed a framework that includes curriculum review, expansion of exponential learning, NUC accreditation for dual NCE and B.Sc Health Education, and national and state digital health literacy strategies. He also said cultural channels should be used without reinforcing harmful practices and urged Nigerians to monetize and prioritize their health rather than hold on to stereotypes about incurable illnesses.

Speaking on Enugu’s model, Prof. Ugwu said the state has deployed Type 2 Primary Health Centres across all 260 wards to create a stronger platform for community health education. He disclosed that the International Hospital Enugu is over 95 percent complete, a Coordinated Command Centre for outbreak response is in place, and investments at ESUTH Parklane and SUMAS will keep medical students in Nigeria. He added that ESUT Teaching Hospital produces 350 doctors annually, while Godfrey Okoye Teaching Hospital produces at least 50. He concluded that “health education is central to Nigeria’s health future” because investments only yield results when people understand, use, protect, and hold systems accountable.

The technical sessions followed immediately. In Lead Paper 1 titled “From Footnote to Foundation,” Dr. Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku, Executive Secretary of EN-PHCDA, said the completion of health facilities in Enugu’s 260 wards has not translated to better outcomes because many citizens are unaware of the improvements. Using a descriptive account, she explained that lack of awareness often leads to avoidable deaths. She concluded that health education is the wire that carries trust and knowledge between the people and the health system.

Prof. Evelyn Nwagu, HOD, Human Kinetics and Health Education, UNN, presented Lead Paper 2 on “Health Education Curriculum Reform.” focusing on the need to revise textbooks, teaching methods, and training of health educators to match current realities.

The conference also marked a major academic milestone with the launch of the 26th Volume of the NAHE Journal, a 364-page publication. Prof. Adaramaja launched the journal, which received support from state chapters. Igwe Samuel and the Lagos State Chapter launched with N100,000 each; Edo, Gombe, and Delta chapters gave N50,000 each; and Bayelsa gave N40,000.

Dignitaries who graced the occasion include: Prof. Aloysius Michaels Okolie, ESUT Vice Chancellor, represented by Mr. Ambrose Ugwu, Registrar; Igwe Asadu; Igwe Umunnabike Ejim; and Prof. George Onyemaechi Ugwu, Honourable Commissioner for Health.

Also in attendance were Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, NAHE National President; Dr. S. N. Akorede, National Secretary and National Treasurer; Prof. Titus Owoh; Dean, Faculty of Education; Prof. Owoh, Dean, Postgraduate Studies Prof Charles Chime, among others

Delegates attended from Yobe, Rivers, Kwara, Ondo, Edo and other states.

Highlights of the conference was the conferment the highest Honour if the association, Fellow of NAHE on the President, Prof Shehu

The event concluded with a cultural dance by the Faculty of Education and a drama performance by the Department of Human Kinetics.