National Biosafety Management Agency organizes Workshop to strengthen science institutions in Nigeria

Jacob Ogodo, Abakaliki

In its bid to strengthen Institutional Biorisk management in Nigerian  science institutions,  the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has organized a two-day workshop with the  theme,

“Enhancing Sustainable Biorisk Management,  Strategies at David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the workshop, the Vice Chancellor of DUFUHS, Prof.  Jesse Uneke reiterated the university’s commitment to collaborate with government, as well as global institutions to pursue funding for research and establishment of Biorisk management in Nigeria.

He also used the occasion to announce some of the  Agencies that the University is already in partnership with,  including NBMA, and the setting up of sixteen international institute for Research and pursuing funding from international organisations.

The institutes according to the vice Chancellor includes: International institute for Health Policy, Systems and knowledge translation, International institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research. and International institute for Biomedical,  Tissue Engineering and Regenerative medicine.

Others are International institute for Oncology and Cancer Research,

International institute for Sports Research,  Development and Rehabilitation, International institute for Nuclear Medicine and Allied Health Research and International institute for Infectious Diseases,  Biosafety and Biosecurity Research among others.

He maintained that the setting up of these institutes is in fulfilment   of part of the guiding principles of the University.

In his lecture, Prof. Agha Ukpai Agha of Nigerian Biosafety Management Àgency ( NBMA), one of the Resource persons announced DUFUHS as the first Nigerian University to be admitted into the National Advisory Biosecurity Committee of the NBMA.

Also speaking on a topic; Introduction to Biosecurity management,  safety and security,  Dr. Michael Agbaje of the University of Agriculture , Ogun State, compared safety and security, and the need for all to be Biosafe and security conscious, especially in the Laboratory.

He emphasised policies,  rules and guidelines as a must follow in curbing human threats and pathogens hazard at the workplaces.

Other speakers at the workshop were Dr. Richard Nnabu and Dr. Nwangele, former Commissioners of Health,  and Environment in Ebonyi State. Both spoke extensively on PRP, Personnel Reliability Programme.

“The institutes includes:

International institute for Health Policy, Systems and knowledge translation, International institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, International institute for Biomedical,  Tissue Engineering and Regenerative medicine. International institute for Oncology and Cancer Research.

“International institute for Sports Research,  Development and Rehabilitation, International institute for Nuclear Medicine and Allied Health Research, International institute for Infectious Diseases,  Biosafety and Biosecurity Research, International institute for Human Organ Research and Replacement Therapy”.