The Federal Government says it would inaugurate a national reference laboratory in Abuja in less than six months to reduce the logistics challenge with sample transportation to WHO reference laboratory in Dakar, Senegal.
Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday in Abuja.
Shuaib said the briefing was on the Elimination of Yellow Epidemics (EYE) Strategy, 2018 Yellow Fever Vaccination Campaign following suspected outbreak of yellow fever in Edo State.
He said Federal Government had already sent staff for training at WHO reference laboratory in Dakar Senegal, adding that trained staff would be redeployed at National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa, Abuja.
“This will ultimately reduce the response time and consequently, the morbidity and mortality rate associated with yellow fever and some haemorrhagic fevers,” he said.
Shuaib said the report from Edo about a fever of unknown origin was also being investigated.
According to him, tests done at laboratories in Nigeria have shown that nine of the samples tested positive for Yellow Fever, as such samples have been forwarded to Dakar, Senegal for confirmation.
He said the NPHCDA, Nigeria Center Disease Control, World Health Organisation (WHO), Edo State Epidemiology team and other partners were working together to rapidly conduct a comprehensive investigation and respond appropriately to the situation.
“We will like to assure the general public that all the agencies involved are working swiftly to contain the spread and prevent further outbreaks,” he said.
Shuaib said Nigerian government, through NPHCDA and partners, were fully committed to the implementation of the Elimination of Yellow Fever Epidemics strategy by 2026 to guarantee the protection and containment of yellow fever outbreaks.
He said the WHO launched the EYE strategy in Nigeria in April 2018.
He added that the strategy aimed to achieve yellow fever elimination in phases by 2026, the strategy also aims at building global coalition of countries and partners to tackle the increase risk of the disease.
Shuaib said Nigeria, being yellow fever endemic country, had received considerable attention focus and support from WHO, UNICEF and other partners and donors following the confirmed outbreaks since Sept. 2017.
He said currently there was an ongoing Mass Preventive Vaccination Campaign with a target age group of nine months to 44 years in Sokoto, Niger, Plataeu, Kebbi and FCT.
The exercise which started on Nov. 22 will last till Dec. 1.