Prof. Rosemary Audu, the Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), says the institute will continue to develop more capacity to enhance researchers.
Audu made this known on Wednesday at the annual International Conference on Health Advances, Innovation and Research organised by NIMR in Lagos.
She noted that research was essential to understand, prevent, control and respond to new and re-emerging infectious diseases.
“We have developed capacity and some of our researchers have developed essays to look out for any virus.
“Nigeria has continued to be a hot spot for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that have become public health burden threatening our national health security.
“Our researchers are carrying out cutting edge health researches that will provide solutions to many of our health challenges and we have seen that in some of the presentations at the conference,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Emelda Chukwu, a researcher at NIMR, made a presentation on “Tracking the epidemiology of pathogens of public health importance in Lagos State”.
Chukwu during her presentation explained how pathogens in the environment interact with humans.
She said:” This research work looked at the environment and how pathogens in the environment are interacting with people and how they add up to the diseases we have in such environment.
“We collected samples from canals in all the local government in Lagos and the clinical samples of people who are sick and marry the two to know if they interact, ” she said.
Also, Toyin Awoderu, a researcher at the Infectious Diseases, Microbiology Departmentat in NIMR, made a presentation on “Microbal analysis of sachet water sold in Lagos State.
Awoderu emphasised on the importance of water to the well-being of people , adding that sachet water should be properly processed and preserved against microbes and parasites.
“Water is essential for our body because it is what makes us healthy, wealthy and rich; so when the purity of our water is in question, then we are prone to any other things.
“So, checking for microbes, parasites and other things in the water, that can be harmful for human consumption,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other presentations at the conference included ”Molecular survielance of arboviruses in Delta State’ by Dr Joseph Shaibu.
Also, “Molecular Surveillance for Ebola, Marburg and Nipah viruses from bats from Kwara State” by Dr Temitope Adeyeye and “Impact of effective control interven on vector diseases in Nigeria” by Dr Adedapo Adeogun. (NAN)