Former INEC Chairman, Prof Maurice Iwu, has classified Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) as ‘Category A’ biological weapon that can be used by an enemy to wipe out a whole city, while calling for urgent priority on its research.
The Don made this call during his speech at Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR)’s 6th Annual Scientific Conference, held recently in Yaba Lagos. Iwu, who was the Chairman of the occasion, gave this warning, in reaction to the recent insurgence going on around the world, while calling on government to invest more into research of emerging deadly infectious diseases such as Ebola, among others, that has no cure and can become an epidemic.
He said such research can be coordinated at medical centers such as NIMR, which is equipped to carry out medical research. Iwu blamed increase of Non Communicable Diseases, (NCD) on lifestyle changes as most Nigerians have abandoned the traditional foods for westernised diets. The Director General of NIMR, Prof Innocent Ujah said the theme of the lecture ‘Ending the Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases divide in Nigeria’, was informed by the growing need to close the gap between Communicable and Non Communicable Diseases, NCDs.
Stating that NIMR was limited in funding and human resource, he said by harnessing and synergising its activities and programmes they would spend less and get more in return.“We are also trying to meet up with the new Strategic Development Goals, SDGs, approved by the United Nations. We believe that there is need to look at vaccine preventable diseases and other non-communicable diseases.”
He said that in Nigeria today, there is significant dual disease burden of communicable and NCDs which provides new challenges and new opportunities to enact responsive changes in research and policy.S peaking, the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, noted that there is need for the country to focus more on non-communicable diseases such as hypertension among other diseases that WHO has predicted to cause more deaths by 2030 in developing countries like Nigeria.
By: Franka Osakwe
National Mirror News
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