The 2021 Nigeria Conference of Applied and Field Epidemiology, NiCAFE has officially opened with a pledge by the Nigerian government to be more prepared for disease outbreaks in the country.
The minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, made the pledge while declaring the conference opened.
He noted that as the world continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still battling with other diseases outbreaks.
“Despite the pandemic, we have not stopped recording other infectious disease outbreaks. In the last one month, we have been responding to an outbreak of cholera across states, an increasing number of Lassa fever cases, a recent monkeypox case reported in the US with travel history from Nigeria, as well as weekly reports of yellow fever and measles cases“. Dr Ehanire said.
He also said that the tropical climate in Nigeria, the population density, and other factors such as the high number of international travels and local movements put Nigeria at risk of these infectious diseases outbreaks
“In the last five years in Nigeria, we have prioritised measures to strengthen our health security. From the establishment of the NCDC National Reference Laboratory in 2017, NCDC led the establishment of at least one molecular laboratory in every state in 2020. From the establishment of the National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in 2017, the NCDC has led the establishment of State Public Health EOCs across the country“. He noted.
The health minister also announced that “In the last one year, we have conducted population-based surveys for COVID-19 and published several papers describing our experience with the COVID-19 response and lessons that can be adopted in other countries. We have also continued to strengthen government ownership of our Nigeria Field Epidemiology Training Programme, with coordination by NCDC on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health and collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Environment”.
Dr. Ehanire stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria has continued to prioritise investments in health security by strengthening health security and public health, and therefore field epidemiology.
He urged all participants to take advantage of the opportunities the conference presents such as the learning, sharing, and networking.
“Our National Field Epidemiology Training Programmme, NFETP, residents and graduates have proven to be extremely valuable resources for public health in Nigeria, Africa and globally. They have played a key role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks of other infectious diseases and public health challenges. Given the success of our frontline and advanced NFETP, we have now begun the rollout of the intermediate programme to train more mid-career public health professionals in Nigeria who can contribute to our public health workforce. “the minister stated.
The Nigerian Conference of Applied and Field Epidemiology (NiCAFE) is organised by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.
The Director General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said that the last time Nigeria hosted a scientific conference in 2019, and at that time, preparing for future pandemics was discussed but no one had the inkling that less than one year after the conference, the world will be faced by a pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down. It has infected over 190 million people and sadly, we have lost 4.15 million people. In Nigeria, we have had over 170,000 infections and more than 2,000 deaths. It pains me to say that there is a possibility that we are yet to see the worst of this pandemic. But, this is part of the reason we are here today. We are not only faced with a pandemic in Nigeria, but multiple concurrent disease outbreaks,”Dr Ihekweazu said.
He also said that in the last one month alone, Nigeria has been responding to an increasing number of COVID-19 cases, outbreak of cholera in several state, panic associated with the detection of a monkeypox case in the US with travel history from Nigeria. Every week, we detect cases of yellow fever, Lassa fever, measles and other infectious diseases that are endemic.
He also noted that scientists must also think of the other public heath challenges that lie ahead.
“Our population is growing at a rapid phase and this will have an incredible impact on our health system. Globally, there is a rise in antimicrobial resistance, and this will affect the prevention and management of infectious disease cases. We are also faced with increasing risks and prevalence of non-communicable diseases,” he noted.
He said that the last one year spent responding to the COVID-19 pandemic has presented us with lessons, from leadership and governance to building laboratory systems and risk communications.
He stressed that the ideas that could be birthed at the conference in the next few days may change Nigeria forever.
” Please share, learn, and collaborate” Dr Ihekweazu stated.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said that Nigerians must continue to take responsibility to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
He stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the gaps that existed in the country’s health system and given the country the opportunity to build resilient healthcare to reduce it’s vulnerability to future disease outbreaks.
The Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Soumya Swaminathan, said it was difficult to respond to any disease outbreak without data.
“Smart data capture and flexible management information systems that integrate diverse health datasets to support research research set-up and patient enrollment is very important. Integrate technology-based solutions into community-based preparedness and response program for effective, standardised reporting among different communities, districts and nations,” Swaminathan said.
The NiCAFE conference brought 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 Nigerian Conference of Applied and Field Epidemiology (NiCAFE), 2021 has as Its theme “Building Back Better: COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks.”
Lateefah Ibrahim
