Janet Ogundepo
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, has said that the newly installed and commissioned Polymerase Chain Reaction laboratory remains a significant milestone in the nation’s journey to strengthening health security and advancing medical research capabilities.
He emphasised that health security was a critical pillar of the country’s health sector, noting that it was a global conversation that required collective action because of the dangers of outbreaks and pandemics.
Salako said this at the commissioning of the Ultra Mega PCR Laboratory at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos recently.
He further commended the development partners, the United States Agency for International Development and Heartland Alliance LTD/GTE, for their support in making the vision a reality.
“The establishment of this Ultra MEGA PCR Laboratory is a transformative leap forward in our healthcare infrastructure. With its state-of-the-art technology and capacity, this facility is poised to become a cornerstone in our fight against HIV and other infectious diseases, particularly in diagnostics, epidemiological surveillance, and biomedical research.
“This laboratory will enable rapid and accurate molecular diagnostics on a scale that was previously unimaginable. With its advanced Polymerase Chain Reaction technology, the lab will provide critical diagnostic support for managing HIV and other infectious diseases outbreaks of public health significance such as COVID-19, Lassa fever, and similar viral infections; serve as a hub for training the next generation of molecular scientists and researchers, ensuring that our workforce is equipped to tackle present and future health challenges,” the minister said.
Continuing, he noted, “This facility aligns with our broader national strategy for health security, a key pillar of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative. By fostering synergy between research, diagnostics, and policy, we are taking proactive steps toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal Three, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.”
Speaking with journalists after the commissioning of the laboratory and a tour of NIMR labs and facilities, the minister expressed confidence in the institution’s ability and capacity.
Salako said, “I describe this institution as the old war horse in the health system of Nigeria. It is a very strategic institution because without research, decisions that we make cannot be validated and we cannot reproduce ourselves so decisions are made internationally.
“So, NIMR is a very important element of the health system in Nigeria. And what I’ve seen today, having gone around, is that they have very good capacity and we can continue to improve that capacity. I can see that the environment is well maintained. The kind of output that is coming here and the outcomes from that output is something we also need to continue to increase on.”
He urged the researchers to align their efforts with national priorities, stating, “The priorities of Nigeria should be the priorities of Nigerian researchers.”
He further assured the institution of continuous government support, priority to research and increased budgetary allocation to enhance their capabilities.
In his welcome address, the Director General of NIMR, Prof John Obafunwa, stated that the laboratory, which is of international standard, had the ability to monitor several viral diseases, including COVID-19 investigations.
He added, “With the installation of this equipment, we’ll not only be in a position to deal with the analysis of bacterial infections, but a lot of viruses will be easily and rapidly diagnosed.”
Obafunwa further congratulated NIMR staff for their activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want to seize this opportunity again to congratulate the NIMR staff for what they did during the pandemic, and particularly developing a diagnostic kit,” the don said.
The don also appreciated the partners, adding that the new lab was connected to an alternative power source to prevent electricity interruption.
In his Goodwill message, the Country Director and Chief Executive Officer of Heartland Alliance LTD/GTE, Bartholomew Ochonye, stated that the new laboratory was a symbol of expansion in the capacity of Nigeria in disease detection, monitoring and research, within and outside the institution.
He added that the machine would enable accurate diagnosis to facilitate critical research and support the ongoing fight against HIV and re-emerging infections.
Ochonye urged the institution to ensure that the lab continued to save lives, advance research, and strengthen the healthcare system.
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