The post COVID-19 participants at a two day conference, have advocated for sustainable action to overcome effects of the pandemic across the nation, even as response activities should be structured to meet up with global contemporary and future scientific demands.
The 2nd International Bioscience Conference organized by the Faculty of Biosciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, drew participants from the university and beyond.
Declaring the conference open, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Charles Esimone, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Prof Frederick Odibo, said all hands must be on deck to ensure that the nation rises from the impact of the pandemic to even greater heights.
While describing the conference theme, Post COVID-19 Pandemic Resilience: Role of The Biosciences as apt, he noted that increased collaborative measures must be taken by relevant professionals for public health recovery, adding challenges posed by other health concerns such as Ebola disease should be discussed to drive the next phase of development.
In a Virtual Address, Chairman on the Occasion, Dr Nikky Okoye, said the gathering aim to develop collaborative strategies for tackling the post pandemic effects and related issues so as to devise interventions on a wider scale.
Delivering Keynote Lecture, Prof Alex Ikeme of the Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, warned against complacency in health recovery and survival efforts, adding that the next pandemic is just around the corner.
He stated the need to design food emergency intervention to enable the nation to withstand impacts arising from the pandemic, lamenting that the second wave of the pandemic affected global value chain, debts profile and all aspects of the economy.
Prof Ikeme encouraged participants to sustain resilience against the pandemic and to continue to work with all stakeholders at National, State and Local Government Areas to increase awareness, social mobilization and increased coverage.
The Dean Faculty of Biosciences, Prof Stanley Udedi, said the conference focused on providing opportunity for fostering policy debate, exchange ideas and experiences on the progress made so far, identify emerging issues on planning and chart the way forward towards improving the existing situations.
He added that it also provided a platform for the review of research findings on the pandemic as well as promote efforts towards the adoption of best practices in handling the pandemic’s aftermath.
One of the Resource Persons and Founder, Centre For Psychic Healing Administration (CPHA) Awka, Dr Mrs Flora Ilonzo, who spoke on, Let Your Food be Your Medicine, enumerated the numerous benefits of using herbal remedies in resolving some health challenges affecting humanity.
