The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in collaboration with partners is hosting the maiden edition of the Nigerian Conference of Applied and Field Epidemiology (NiCAFE), to focused on lessons from COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases.
The Director-General of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said in the last 17 months, countries across the world have been affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ihekweazu said that in Nigeria, there has been other disease outbreaks in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, including Lassa fever and cholera.
“The NiCAFE conference seeks to bring together public health professionals, laboratory scientists, field epidemiologists, researchers, health care professionals and other members of the public to reflect on the response to these outbreaks, review gaps in epidemic preparedness and response and brainstorm innovative solutions to strengthen health security.
“The 2021 NiCAFE conference begins as Nigeria reinvigorates the ongoing COVID-19 response given an increasing number of new cases. The conference which will be held virtually, will feature eight keynote/plenary speakers, over 170 oral and poster presentations across various themes. These include governance and leadership, epidemiology, surveillance and transmission dynamics, case management of infectious diseases. Other conference sub-themes include social sciences and community engagement, the role of agriculture and environment in disease transmission as well as health system strengthening for future pandemics,” Dr Ihekweazu said.
Speaking during the pre-conference workshop the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), said its working to strengthen infodemics management as part of national emergency preparedness and response framework with full support from the World Health Organisation(WHO).
Director of Prevention Programmes and Knowledge Management, NCDC, Dr. Chinwe Ochu, while speaking at one of the nine pre-conference workshops organised ahead of the Nigerian Conference of Applied and field Epidemiology (NiCAFE) conference, said that there was the need to train the media on ways to manage infodemics during epidemics.
She said that an infodemic was an overabundance of information, both online and offline. It includes deliberate attempts to disseminate wrong information to undermine the public health response and advance alternative agendas of groups or individuals.
She noted that mis- and disinformation can be harmful to people’s physical and mental health; increase stigmatisation; threaten precious health gains; and lead to poor observance of public health measures, thus reducing their effectiveness and endangering the country’s ability to stop the pandemic.
She advised journalists on tips to stay updated with verified information on infectious diseases especially in a time of crisis or conflict.
“Everyone has a role to play in managing rumours and misinformation, lets work together to provide the public with evidence-based information to ensure their safety,” she said.
Similarly, WHO’s Infodemic Management Consultant, Dr. Abdulraman Danjuma, said that the outcome of collaborations among the national and sub-national governments as well as with partners and the private sector was to have an integrated Infodemic management system in the country for addressing public health response.
Speaking at a parallel session on Use of Big Data for Epidemics, Mrs Nwando Mba, Director of Laboratory Services representing the NCDC Director General stated that data informs policy and public health actions.
Mba added that data informs evidence and is the heartbeat of any outbreak response.
Meanwhile, Dr. Emily Collard of the Public Health England spoke on simulation exercise for emergency preparedness and response as part of the International Health Regulation (IHR), strengthening project.
She noted that simulation exercises were controlled, objective-driven activities used for evaluating emergency management processes, procedures or capabilities.
The Maiden Virtual Edition of the NiCAFE conference is scheduled to take place between 27th to 28th July 2021 with the theme; “Building back better: COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks” .
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