TheAmerican
Senior Member
- May 4, 2014
- 148
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Source: WorldState News Mobile version
Why is this important?
Nigeria contained the ebola virus, why are we sending our troops while they have success cases? The claims are highlighted.
I may get dinged because I didnt cut to the appropriate quotes, but I really dont have time - early day today. Will edit as soon as I get home tonight.
Article starts: WorldStage Newsonline-- Nigeria has the capacity to make vaccines for the treatment of Ebola virus disease, according to the Co-chairs of the Treatment Research Group on Ebola in Nigeria, Prof Innocent Ujah and Prof. Karniyus Gamaliel.
Gamaliel who is the Director General of Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) noted that with the right environment, Ebola vaccine can be produced in the country.
He said, "I want to assure you and assure Nigerians through you that we can make vaccines through the right support in our laboratories. We can also discover drugs that can help with the Ebola situation. You should never doubt Nigerian capacity and capabilities to do these. After all, one of the scientists coming for the event is from NOI, he is a Nigerian; he is making waves there. But, he is using foreign firm. If we create such environment here, that man can come and do it here, even if he is alone.”
Prof Innocent Ujah, also the Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, (NIMR) said the country had options including developing solutions to problems like in the case of Ebola outbreak in the country.
According to him, "It is because of marketing that Zmapp and the likes are known, tomorrow, we shall be able to discuss with you our other options, why we are not too crazy about the foreign options, why we won’t tell you now really that we have our own solution. It is not that we don’t want all that, we need all the help, but, we don’t want solutions. Solutions have to be developed by us; we have find solutions to our own problems. And, that is the clear messages that the Minister and the Federal Government have been able to show.
"That is by given the right environment, Nigeria can solve its own problems. I think after tomorrow, we will be able to see a sense of direction."
On the success of the country in handling the Ebola outbreak, Ujah said that the country recorded 38.6 percent fatality rate which was considered as considerate given the fatality rate from other countries with Ebola virus.
He said, "But, we realized the number of cases in Nigeria was 20; we lost eight. By any world standard, the case fatality rate is about 38.6 percent, as against between 70 to 90 percent that have been recorded.
"What it means is that if we are very proactive, which we are, we should be able to solve our problems. And, it is in this realization that we thought there should be a follow up; a follow up to put experts together to discuss and brainstorm the next level.
"We expect that when we present the agenda of going forward from this point, we expect that other stakeholders will buy in. If you look at this Ebola war, one of the legacies that have come out very clear is that Nigerians can cooperate across any line. The TRG are various people from different backgrounds, working together on this.
"Particularly, the events that happened in Lagos and Port Harcourt, government, states and federal government cooperated very well. Nigerians came out, that legacy; I think we need to sustain it. When it comes to funding like Prof Iwu said, we are going to know the framework and lay the plans to stakeholders. The hope is that stakeholders will buy in and support…To sustain this effort, remember, Nigeria is still vulnerable, we can have an attack any day, this period is the period of planning. This period is the period of discussion so that we can strategize, think well and take steps and measures that would help us cope better than what we have done so far.”
The experts meeting on Thursday, he said would address three specific objectives.
“The first is to review available treatment options on Ebola virus disease. The second to discuss experimental vaccines in the management of Ebola virus disease and to develop a national plan for self-development of medical counter measures to emerging infectious diseases, including Ebola virus,” he said.
He also announced that experts and stakeholders, both from within and outside government have been invited for the meeting.
Also, Ujah said organized private sector is expected to participate in the meeting "because after the national response, what is now left is that we go back to our labs and our research unit and look at what will happen. At the end of the day, it is in the realization of that that we believe the treatment research group should organize a high-level experts meeting on Ebola virus."
He stressed that the meeting will be able to provide strategic direction. Explaining that the country "should go to ensure that one, not only containing, but sustenance and effective research in the area of Ebola virus disease and other emerging infectious diseases.
"We are celebrating that we have been able to contain Ebola virus disease in Nigeria, but, we cannot rest on our oars. We must continue to research to be able to put Nigeria on the world map of those that could have been involved in introduction of vaccines and even drugs for effective management of Ebola virus."
Prof Maurice Iwu who also addressed the issue of the roadmap and possible funding challenges for research by the group said at the end of the meeting a clear picture of the framework would have been reached.
Iwu stressed, "the idea is that by the time we meet tomorrow and beyond, there will be a clear guideline as to medical research and drug research.
"The whole idea is to have a framework under the guidance of the Federal Minister of Health. What we have done is a good job so far, but the good thing is that we are not resting on our oars. The Ministry and the Federal Government have decided to have a national programme. This thing is not a Federal Government programme only, it is a national programme.
"What they mean by this is that the state will be involved, the private sector will be involved, the media will be involved, armed forces will be involved, every Nigerian will be thinking in one direction namely: that we are not only going to be users of technology, we will be people who will be creating knowledge which other parts of the world can source from."
Why is this important?
Nigeria contained the ebola virus, why are we sending our troops while they have success cases? The claims are highlighted.
I may get dinged because I didnt cut to the appropriate quotes, but I really dont have time - early day today. Will edit as soon as I get home tonight.
Article starts: WorldStage Newsonline-- Nigeria has the capacity to make vaccines for the treatment of Ebola virus disease, according to the Co-chairs of the Treatment Research Group on Ebola in Nigeria, Prof Innocent Ujah and Prof. Karniyus Gamaliel.
Gamaliel who is the Director General of Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) noted that with the right environment, Ebola vaccine can be produced in the country.
He said, "I want to assure you and assure Nigerians through you that we can make vaccines through the right support in our laboratories. We can also discover drugs that can help with the Ebola situation. You should never doubt Nigerian capacity and capabilities to do these. After all, one of the scientists coming for the event is from NOI, he is a Nigerian; he is making waves there. But, he is using foreign firm. If we create such environment here, that man can come and do it here, even if he is alone.”
Prof Innocent Ujah, also the Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, (NIMR) said the country had options including developing solutions to problems like in the case of Ebola outbreak in the country.
According to him, "It is because of marketing that Zmapp and the likes are known, tomorrow, we shall be able to discuss with you our other options, why we are not too crazy about the foreign options, why we won’t tell you now really that we have our own solution. It is not that we don’t want all that, we need all the help, but, we don’t want solutions. Solutions have to be developed by us; we have find solutions to our own problems. And, that is the clear messages that the Minister and the Federal Government have been able to show.
"That is by given the right environment, Nigeria can solve its own problems. I think after tomorrow, we will be able to see a sense of direction."
On the success of the country in handling the Ebola outbreak, Ujah said that the country recorded 38.6 percent fatality rate which was considered as considerate given the fatality rate from other countries with Ebola virus.
He said, "But, we realized the number of cases in Nigeria was 20; we lost eight. By any world standard, the case fatality rate is about 38.6 percent, as against between 70 to 90 percent that have been recorded.
"What it means is that if we are very proactive, which we are, we should be able to solve our problems. And, it is in this realization that we thought there should be a follow up; a follow up to put experts together to discuss and brainstorm the next level.
"We expect that when we present the agenda of going forward from this point, we expect that other stakeholders will buy in. If you look at this Ebola war, one of the legacies that have come out very clear is that Nigerians can cooperate across any line. The TRG are various people from different backgrounds, working together on this.
"Particularly, the events that happened in Lagos and Port Harcourt, government, states and federal government cooperated very well. Nigerians came out, that legacy; I think we need to sustain it. When it comes to funding like Prof Iwu said, we are going to know the framework and lay the plans to stakeholders. The hope is that stakeholders will buy in and support…To sustain this effort, remember, Nigeria is still vulnerable, we can have an attack any day, this period is the period of planning. This period is the period of discussion so that we can strategize, think well and take steps and measures that would help us cope better than what we have done so far.”
The experts meeting on Thursday, he said would address three specific objectives.
“The first is to review available treatment options on Ebola virus disease. The second to discuss experimental vaccines in the management of Ebola virus disease and to develop a national plan for self-development of medical counter measures to emerging infectious diseases, including Ebola virus,” he said.
He also announced that experts and stakeholders, both from within and outside government have been invited for the meeting.
Also, Ujah said organized private sector is expected to participate in the meeting "because after the national response, what is now left is that we go back to our labs and our research unit and look at what will happen. At the end of the day, it is in the realization of that that we believe the treatment research group should organize a high-level experts meeting on Ebola virus."
He stressed that the meeting will be able to provide strategic direction. Explaining that the country "should go to ensure that one, not only containing, but sustenance and effective research in the area of Ebola virus disease and other emerging infectious diseases.
"We are celebrating that we have been able to contain Ebola virus disease in Nigeria, but, we cannot rest on our oars. We must continue to research to be able to put Nigeria on the world map of those that could have been involved in introduction of vaccines and even drugs for effective management of Ebola virus."
Prof Maurice Iwu who also addressed the issue of the roadmap and possible funding challenges for research by the group said at the end of the meeting a clear picture of the framework would have been reached.
Iwu stressed, "the idea is that by the time we meet tomorrow and beyond, there will be a clear guideline as to medical research and drug research.
"The whole idea is to have a framework under the guidance of the Federal Minister of Health. What we have done is a good job so far, but the good thing is that we are not resting on our oars. The Ministry and the Federal Government have decided to have a national programme. This thing is not a Federal Government programme only, it is a national programme.
"What they mean by this is that the state will be involved, the private sector will be involved, the media will be involved, armed forces will be involved, every Nigerian will be thinking in one direction namely: that we are not only going to be users of technology, we will be people who will be creating knowledge which other parts of the world can source from."
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