On a bright morning in Abuja, the conference hall buzzed with anticipation. One by one, young public health professionals stepped forward, not to listen, but to lead. Prepared with bright ideas and months of training, they were ready to tackle some of Nigeria’s most pressing health threats.

This was the Youth for Pandemic Alliance (Youth PALLI) One Health Hackathon, a flagship intervention by DRASA. The hackathon marked the culmination of a three-month One Health leadership journey for youth fellows across 14 states in Nigeria.

At the center of this story is Dr. Wagwula Precious Miracle, a public health professional and one of the winning fellows. Her project, focused on community and digital advocacy for Lassa fever prevention, stood out among six innovative pitches addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), epidemic preparedness, and One Health challenges.

The Youth PALLI intervention emerged from the need to include youth voices in public health decision-making amidst Nigeria’s progress in epidemic response. More so, diseases like Lassa fever and the menace of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) continue to threaten communities due to weak coordination across human, animal, and environmental health systems. 

Youth PALLI was designed to strengthen this coordination and promote collaboration between youth and government institutions. We equipped young professionals with the skills, networks, and platform to design and implement real solutions for health emergencies. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen community resilience against disease outbreaks and AMR through a youth-driven, multisectoral collaboration for advocacy and policy action at national and subnational levels. 

DRASA led the initiative in partnership with the Alliance for Sustainable Livestock (ASL), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and other government stakeholders. Over three months, fellows underwent intensive training in Global Health Security and One Health leadership, policy advocacy, and systems thinking to become youth Health Champions. 

The hackathon then provided a real-world stage to apply that knowledge.  Stakeholders, including government officials, epidemiologists, and environmental health experts, engaged directly with the youth Health Champions, building relationships for lasting youth-government interaction.

During the event, six fellows pitched evidence-based solutions targeting communities across Nigeria, from Delta and Kaduna to Oyo and Rivers States, resulting in the selection of three winning projects for further support. Each proposal demonstrated alignment with national policies, such as the One Health Strategic Plan and the National Action Plan on AMR (NAP 2.0).

“I believe that young people should not just remain at the receiving end; we are contributors to national health solutions,” Dr. Wagwula said after her presentation.

The Youth PALLI Fellows left with stronger confidence, clearer pathways into policy spaces, and practical experience in designing scalable interventions. “The difference between the ideas was so small. It shows how strong and ready these young leaders are,” noted Dr. Damilola Kolade of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), reflecting on the tight scores as the judges selected winners.

Fellows had to translate complex technical knowledge into practical, time-bound solutions under pressure. Yet this process revealed an important lesson, which is that when given structure, mentorship, and opportunity, young professionals can deliver solutions that are both innovative and policy-relevant.

DRASA and our partners have committed to supporting the implementation of the three winning projects, formalizing partnerships, and integrating youth Health Champions into Nigeria’s health security framework. We will achieve these through a joint review of the One Health Strategic Plan and other relevant plans, and targeted advocacy towards implementation of recommended policy actions.

“This is just the beginning,” Dr Wagwula said. “We will keep building solutions that protect our communities.”

And across Nigeria, those solutions are already taking shape.

Participants, youth Health Champions, and partners at the Youth PALLI Hackathon in March 2026

Dr. Wagwula Precious presented on Community and Digital Advocacy for Lassa Fever Prevention in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Princewill Igbojinwaekwu made a presentation titled, Guardians of Tomorrow Children, Mothers & Community Against AMR

Emmanuel Oyelayo presented on the Youth-Led One Health Action to Address Antimicrobial Resistance in Livestock-Producing Communities in Oyo State and Selected States in Nigeria