COVID-19: FG supports scientists improve their knowledge, skills on Research and Development

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that the Federal Government is committed to creating an enabling environment and opportunities for Nigerian scientists to hone their skills and expand their knowledge in the field of research and development in order to contribute meaningfully to the discovery of the Corona Virus.

This, he explained, was because the SARS-COV-2 was labeled “novel” in the early days, implying that its properties and behavior were unknown or in the process of being discovered, noting that “we know more today, but are still grappling with new revelations about the virus, some of which surprise us, demonstrating that we still have more to learn.” As a result, we must continue on to alert.”

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President Muhammadu Buhari made the announcement in Abuja during the 2nd Regional Annual Scientific Conference and Induction of Elected Fellows of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science (WAPCMLS).

As a result, Buhari, who was represented by Health Minister Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated, “this is where the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science needs to play the role of ensuring that relevant quality human resource capacity is developed in the West African subregion, to upgrade laboratory capacity and strengthen the health system.”

President Buhari further said that: “Government has provided funds for establishment of molecular laboratories in all Federal tertiary health institutions and research centres. State Governments and Development Partners have also supported laboratory strengthening in different ways.”

According to him, Nigeria’s molecular laboratory assets have since increased to over 140, in both private and public sphere, while knowledge and skills to conduct molecular testing has spread to hundreds of laboratory scientists around the nation.

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This rapid and widespread expansion of diagnostic capacity, according to him, was one of the advantages that helped the country manage the Covid-19 pandemic in an accurate and safe manner.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who was represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, said that the global health has been challenged since 2019, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pandemic, he noted, challenged health systems, supply chain systems and economies worldwide and has also exposed the gaps in health care systems especially laboratory capacities.

The Minister revealed that: “At the onset of COVID-19, very few laboratories had capacity to conduct molecular testing, a methodology that has overtaken traditional methods used to identify organisms.

“We could not have effectively managed the pandemic the way we did without increasing the number of laboratories that could detect COVID-19 accurately and in a safe manner.

“Today we are grappling with COVID-19, we do not know what it will be tomorrow. So we much continue to be battle ready. Government will continue to provide the enabling environment for professionals to work, and the professionals are expected to continue to improve their knowledge and skill.

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“This is where the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science needs to play the critical role of ensuring relevant human resource capacity is developed in the West African sub region to compliment efforts of government at strengthening laboratory capacity.”

The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Improving Global Health by Strengthening Laboratory Capacity in Africa’.