The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has opened an Integrated Disease Testing and Surveillance Laboratory for Malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), and other infectious diseases.
The NCDC’s Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, during the unveiling at the NCDC Central Public Health Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos, noted that the laboratory was aimed at strengthening the fight against diseases of public health importance in the country.
The NCDC boss stressed that the integrated laboratory would be a game-changer in the fight against infectious diseases of public health importance to the country.
In his statement: “The establishment of the laboratory is made possible through partnerships with the U.S. Consulate Mission in Nigeria, the CDC Foundation, Public Health Initiative (APIN), and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Nigeria.”
The NCDC boss continued: “Nigeria has one of the highest diversity and burden of public health diseases with global significance in sub-Saharan Africa and response to diagnosis-related challenges for infectious diseases.
“We have identified the need to develop capacity for advanced diagnostic services and laboratory-based surveillance capacity for NTDs, malaria, mycotic diseases, and similar diseases of public health importance.
“The establishment of this integrated laboratory diagnosis facility will be a game-changer in the fight against infectious diseases by providing accurate, early, and comprehensive diagnosis and informative decision-making for enhanced patient care.
“It will ensure proactive disease surveillance, outbreak management, optimise antimicrobial stewardship.
“It will also ensure reduced antimicrobial resistance, inform research and development for new diagnostic tests and treatments, improve patient safety, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance global health security through rapid detection and response”.
The DG expressed gratitude to the U.S. CDC, CDC Foundation, APIN, and TECRO for their commitment and support to complement the effort of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to enhance the country’s health sector.
Also speaking at the event, the representative of the U.S. Consul General to Nigeria, Mr Will Stevens, said Nigeria had one of the highest burdens of global malaria cases and deaths, noting that the establishment of the integrated laboratory was critical to tackling the scourge of malaria in the country.
