The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria says its members are working towards developing indigenous vaccines against the Novel SARS-COV 2 and other infectious diseases.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the association’s Special General meeting, the National President, Professor Garba Damen solicited the federal government’s support for adequate funding and laboratory infrastructure to make the local vaccines possible.
Professor Damen also called on the government to employ medical laboratory scientists at port health services across Nigeria to support the disease surveillance response and activities across the nation’s port.
He explained that the nation cannot effectively fight pandemics if the country depends on the importation of all diagnostic tools and relegate its in-country research and development efforts.
The medical laboratory scientists’ national president while commending the appointment of Dr Ifedayo Adetifa as the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for approving nine hundred and fifty million naira intervention fund for the establishment of Molecular Laboratories in all Federal Tertiary Hospitals.
Professor Damen expressed optimism that the building and equipment at the laboratories will tremendously help in mitigating the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as that of other infectious diseases.
He said infectious diseases will continue to re-emerge at National and sub-national levels, urging medical laboratories to continue to reinvent policies and practices that will effectively anticipate outbreaks to contain them early.
Mosope Kehinde
