The Commander of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in the U.S., Col. Eli Lozano, says the new Defence Reference Laboratory in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja will expand Nigeria’s capacity to diagnose Tuberculosis (TB).
Lozano made this known at the inauguration of the facility in Abuja, on Tuesday.
”The TB modular lab that you see here today, will expands Nigeria’s capacity to diagnose TB, which will have a meaningful impact on case detection in your amazing country,” he said.
He added that the inauguration of the laboratory represented nearly a decade of perseverance and tireless commitment of the Nigeria Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
”I am especially honoured that we have such a diverse and robust group of military and civilian leaders here to commemorate this very special milestone.
“The U.S. military has a long standing history of international public health issues.
“This is informed largely by our responsibility to protect the health and wellness of our service members and military forces to ensure they are ready to deploy anytime, anywhere in the world in support of U.S Government interests.
“The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has served as a global leader in efforts to study, control and cure some of the world’s most pervasive and endemic infectious diseases to include malaria, HIV, Ebola and tuberculosis.
“At the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, our dedicated scientists understand that defence health is global health.
“For 131 years, our Walter Reed soldiers and civilians have tirelessly worked to test and develop products that will reduce the impact of infectious diseases.
“Our Walter Reed family is excited to continue our awesome relationship with the people of Nigeria in this vitally important field of infectious disease research.
“And together, we will enable health and wellness for Nigeria, our respective military service members, and all of humanity.”
Earlier in his opening remarks, retired Brig.-Gen. Nathan Okeji, Director-General of the Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme (MODHIP), said that the laboratory was established in 2012 by the collaboration of MODHIP and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa (WRAIR-A), established in 2005.
Okeji said that the partnership was primarily to provide HIV care and treatment to troops, their families and civilians living in neighbouring communities.
“Over time the partnership expanded to provide services for malaria, tuberculosis and clinical research.
“Tuberculosis is a common co-infection of HIV/AIDS and has high morbidity and mortality if not detected early and adequately treated.
“When TB is not properly treated, drug resistant strains develop. The discovery of drug-resistant TB has heightened the public health significance of the disease”, he said.
The MODHIP DG added that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), eight countries accounted for more than two-thirds of global TB cases and Nigeria is 6th among the eight and first in Africa with an incidence of 4.4 per cent.
“This is followed by DR Congo with 2.9 per cent. This figure is scary and can be decreased by integrated efforts by all stakeholders in the areas of early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
“With the burning desire to make early diagnosis of TB and Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) strains, the building of TBML was conceived and started in 2018.
“Thus with the inauguration of this facility today, we will undoubtedly enhance the capacity for early diagnosis, treatment, research and training on tuberculosis in line with the national strategic plan for TB Control, 2021-2025,” Okeji said.
NAN
