The National Arbovirus and Vectors Research Centre (NAVRC) has conducted inaugural workshop for State Disease Vector Surveillance Officers to boost active surveillance of vectors of diseases of public health importance in Nigeria.

The Coordinator of the centre, Dr Emeka Asadu said in a statement on Thursday in Abuja
that the training was also to provide skilled state level manpower for active surveillance of vectors of diseases in the country.

Asadu stated that active surveillance of disease vectors would serve as early warning system that would enable government and key stakeholders to take preemptive action to forestall outbreak of serious infectious diseases like yellow fever.

He added that the information obtained from routine vector surveillance would support ongoing efforts to control and eliminate endemic vector-borne diseases such as malaria.

According him, NAVRC is the research unit of Federal Ministry of Health with the mandate to conduct field disease vector surveillance and control throughout Nigeria.

He explained that the centre was also to provide valuable information for effective response to and control of arthropod-borne viral infections like yellow fever and other endemic vector borne diseases like malaria.

The coordinator noted that the centre aimed to bring sustained nationwide active surveillance of infectious disease vectors starting in three states.

He listed the states as Benue, Nasarawa and Niger, adding that the centre would also reach additional six states by the end of 2018 and 24 states by December 2019.

Asadu, therefore, expressed gratitude of NAVRC to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, saying “it was only on the account of the minister’s uncommon support and encouragement that the centre was able to conceive and proceed with the implementation of this initiative.”