Authors : Aderibigbe Adewale Hameed

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 9 - September

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/4kf9en6e

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26sep1223

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Background: Nigeria faces recurrent infectious disease outbreaks, climate-related hazards, flooding, conflict-related displacement and other public health emergencies. Community Health Practitioners (CHPs) including Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEWs), Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) and Community Health Officers (CHOs) operate close to communities and therefore occupy an important position in early detection, risk communication, basic emergency care, referral and continuity of essential primary health care (PHC). The submitted evidence indicates a persistent mismatch between routine service competence and emergency-specific readiness.  Objective: To critically examine disaster preparedness and emergency-response competencies of CHPs at PHC level in Nigeria, identify system-level barriers to their utilization, and propose an evidence-informed, PHC-centred framework for strengthening emergency readiness and resilience.  Methods: A narrative review was undertaken using the evidence and policy sources contained in the submitted manuscript, supplemented by verification against current WHO, UNDRR and Nigerian institutional sources. The synthesis follows four analytical domains: workforce competency, institutional readiness, enabling resources and governance/coordination. Reported empirical percentages are treated as findings of their original studies rather than as a pooled national estimate.

Keywords : Disaster Preparedness; Emergency Response; Community Health Practitioners; Primary Health Care; Health-System Resilience; Nigeria; Health Security; Community Health Workers.

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