NCDC Lunches Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory : Advocates Evidence – Based Treatment of diseases in Nigeria

In response to diagnosis-related challenges for Nigeria prioritised infectious diseases,

an advanced diagnostic services and laboratory-based surveillance capacity for Malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Mycotic Diseases, and similar diseases of public health importance laboratory has been lunched in Lagos.

Located at the Central Public Health Laboratory, Yaba and inaugurated  on Friday, July 12, 2024, the equipment will ensure consistent testing standards, facilitate confirmatory testing, and support research endeavors aimed at developing novel diagnostics and interventions.

Lunching the facility in company of development partners, the Director – General, Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jide Idris said that the facility would provide training and capacity building platforms for healthcare professionals to improve their competencies. ” It will serve as a regional hub for training of laboratory professionals, biomedical engineers and other relevant personnel.

Describing it as a game changer, he expressed confidence that the integrated laboratory diagnosis will fight against infectious diseases of public health importance in Nigeria, not just for the fight against malaria, mycotic infections and NTDs, but for building a healthier future and ensuring health security for the nation and Africa region ” he reiterated

The DG gave an assurance that, ” the success of the facility will thrive on sustained collaboration, with regional & sub national structures and other relevant ministries departments and agencies of government.  ” We are firmly committed to working in close partnership with state governments, healthcare professionals, researchers, private sectors, and communities to ensure the facility’s full potential is optimized “.

The Project, Dr Idris pointed out aligns seamlessly with Professor Pate’s forward-thinking agenda, particularly in the areas of diagnostics and surveillance, under the Health Security agenda, adding that, by establishing the integrated disease reference laboratory, ” we are not only contributing to the vision for a stronger, more resilient health system but also adding our significant quota to the actualization of Nigeria’s Universal Health Coverage goals.

 The accomplishment he stated, is not an isolated victory. It represents the culmination of dedicated eXorts by collaborative teams at the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and our esteemed health security partners.

He express appreciation to the Taiwanese government (TECRO) through the strategic partners the US-CDC, CDC Nigeria, CDC Foundation, and APIN for the technical & financial resources,   your commitment, support and all you are set to do, to see to the realisation of this project as the partnership will again demonstrate the power of collaboration in achieving common goals and driving shared vision into reality.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said Lagos had continued to strive for evidence based practice of medicine and that involves making the correct diagnosis treating appropriately without the risk of over treating or under treating.      

He explained that, as simple as Malaria seems if not diagnosed in the laboratory, the patient would be exposed to polypharmacy and all kinds of mistreatment and misdiagnosis.

” We’re trying to drive th culture of testing and treating with positive results and for us to have a reference laboratory in Lagos funded by our partners is really a step in the right direction, adding that, it’s going to drive that collaboration between the federal and the states public health laboratories “

Professor Abayomi, ” Even though government do not have the resources to establish such laboratory in every  state, this is a capacity transform can happen from here to public health Laboratories so that we are empowered at the state, so don’t need to put unnecessary pressure on the CDC especially when we come under pressure with biological shocks – 

CDC Foundation Representative in Nigeria,  Senior Programmes Officer, Suzanne Theroux, promised that, CDC Nigeria will help strengthen activities in Africa and keep up task to respond to infectious diseases whenever the need arises.

” Continued fight against Malaria and other is  tropical diseases is critical in saving lives and our efforts to strengthen the capacity of this laboratory for testing capacity as we strengthen our global workforce and emergency response capabilities in the entire region, promised to continue with the collaboration, ” Suzanne emphasized.

Presenting his goodwill message, the Taiwan Chief of Mission, Andy Liu, said, whatever Taiwan had been doing, had the support of the US government and its people, noting that Taiwan is proud to be a part of the project.

” Without the eradication of all tropical diseases, that hampered our progress, we would not be able to facilitate the growth of Taiwan, adding that Taiwan has been proud to announce our illiteracy had come down to 2%. But without the basis of eradicating all tropical diseases, but without the base of making the livelihood of every citizen to be safe, we would not be able to achieve all we have achieved”. He disclosed 

Mr Liu promised to continue to collaborate not only with the US government but also support Nigeria in future projects, ” we know all about tropical weather and my generation knows about tropical diseases but my parents suffered but with the help of the US government and all other international partners, we were able to defeat it.

Julie Ekong