USAID Unveils Nigeria’s First Ultramodern Polio Modular Laboratory


By Chioma Umeha
The U.S. Government, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), today inaugurated a state-of-the-art polio modular laboratory at University College Hospital, Ibadan, to improve the efficiency of polio diagnosis in Nigeria through reliable environmental sampling.
While examining the ultra-modern amenities with representatives of the Federal Government, U.S. Consul General John Bray observed that the new facility, which cost an estimated $400,000, exists alongside a World Health Organization (WHO) accredited polio laboratory in Ibadan, but is the first one in the country equipped to detect the wild polio virus from waste water.
“This new facility will enhance Nigeria’s ability to respond to polio outbreaks quickly, by promptly diagnosing polio from samples received from the 48 environmental sewage sites across the country.” Consul General Bray noted.
“The eradication of poliomyelitis will be accomplished only when polio laboratories provide convincing diagnostic evidence of the absence of wild poliovirus infections in humans and prolonged circulation in the environment,” he added.
More than 70 participants attended the event, including Nigerian government officials, representatives of donor agencies, UN agencies and Rotary International.
To help Nigeria address its high mortality rates, USAID helps increase access to quality family planning and reproductive health services, immunizations, polio eradication, malaria prevention and maternal health services. USAID also provides technical support to immunization campaigns through social mobilization, and other activities.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Limited Information Frustrates Young Women From Using Family Planning

Image
BY CHIOMA UMEHA, Awareness and proper understanding of family planning has been recognised to reduce maternal death among young women of reproductive age between 15 and 49. Data on Sexual Reproductive Health outcomes in Nigeria stresses the importance of focusing on adolescents. At 576 maternal death per 1,000 live births, Nigeria accounts for 14 percent of the global burden of maternal mortality (NDHS 2013/WHO 2014). Global evidence shows that young girls bear a higher burden of maternal mortality and morbidity. Data shows that the average age at sexual debut is roughly 15 years of age among adolescent mothers in Nigeria. (NDHS 2003, 2008, 2013). The National adolescent fertility rate in Nigeria is 122 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years. In the North Western States, it is as high as 171 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years. To stem this, the government of Lagos State with support from partners and other donor agencies has put in place youth-friendly he
Read more

Insurgency: Nigerian Army Clears 25 More Children Of Links With Armed Groups, Says UNICEF

Image
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said Thursday that 25 more children had been freed from Nigerian Army administrative custody having been cleared of suspected links with armed groups. With this number, a total of 44 children had been released this year, bringing the number to 1,627 children since 2016, that is four years now, the UN agency for children has said. UNICEF which announced this in a press statement signed by its Communication Specialist, Dr. Geoffrey Njoku, specifically said, “Twenty-three boys and two girls were released today from Nigerian Army administrative custody after being cleared of suspected ties with armed groups. This brings the number of children released this year to 44,” it added. It bemoaned the discrimination, deprivation and cruelty which the children have suffered. “These are children taken away from their families and communities, deprived of their childhood, education, health-care, and of the chance to grow up in a safe and enabling envir
Read more

PSN President Commissions ACPN National Secretariat

Image
Chioma Umeha History was made among the community pharmacists recently, as the national body of the Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN) inaugurated its National Secretariat at Ikeja, Lagos State. The event was graced by many notable personalities in the pharmaceutical sector including, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) who commissioned the befitting edifice. Other notable guests at the event were – Dr. UNO Uwaga, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for ACPN; Pharm. Bukky George, the Managing Director of Healthplus, among many former presidents of different pharmaceutical bodies. Pharm. Yakasai stated that it was a thing of joy for him to see this development come to light. He said that he is ‘a proud father’ as the inauguration of the building was a “testimony of when you have a proud son who can carry out directives.” He described the secretariat as “A home for all pharmacists across board.”
Read more