The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has pledged to strengthen collaboration with the Kano Independent Research Centre Trust (KIRCT) to advance local research, enhance disease prevention and boost Nigeria’s public health security.
Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris who made the commitment during a technical visit to the KIRCT in Kano, said the partnership would deepen scientific research, improve disease surveillance and enhance the country’s preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks.
Idris said the agency was intensifying collaboration with research institutions and state governments to strengthen surveillance systems and promote evidence-based interventions against emerging and existing diseases.
He stressed the need for Nigeria to leverage the expertise of its scientists and research institutions instead of depending largely on foreign organisations for critical scientific studies.
“Our plan for collaboration needs to be fast-tracked because we have many scientists across the country. We need to pull them together and encourage them to do work that was hitherto done by people outside Nigeria. It is time we built our local capacity and showcase it,” he said.
The NCDC boss commended KIRCT for its state-of-the-art research facilities and highly skilled workforce, describing the institution as well organised and capable of supporting national efforts to strengthen health security.
He assured that the partnership would focus on joint research, exchange of scientific materials, capacity building, training of researchers and promoting evidence-based public health decision-making.
Earlier, Director-General of KIRCT, Prof. Hamisu Salihu, described the NCDC visit as a significant step towards expanding collaboration between both institutions.
Salihu said while the centre had maintained a strong working relationship with the Kano state public health system, closer collaboration with the NCDC had become imperative, particularly in the management of bio-specimens and research involving highly infectious diseases.
According to him, the NCDC, as Nigeria’s lead agency for health security, plays a pivotal role in providing the regulatory approvals required for research involving deadly pathogens, making the partnership critical to advancing indigenous scientific research and strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to public health threats.
