Molly Kilete, Abuja
The United States government has commended the Defence Reference Laboratory (DRL), in Abuja for its highly- professional standards in managing dangerous diseases in the country.
The US government has also promised to provide the necessary equipment and funding for the laboratory to carry out medical research programmes to achieve its targeted results.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary for West Africa and Security Affairs, Ms Whitney Baid, made this known when she visited the DRL, at the Mogadishu Cantonment.
The DRL was built in partnership between the Nigerian Ministry of Defence (NMoD), and the United States Department of Defence (USDoD), to strengthen public health and address deadly infectious diseases affecting Nigeria and the West African region.
She said that aside from providing assistance to the Nigerian government for the counter-insurgency and counter terrorism fight, the US, would begin to fund medical research programmes to curb the spread of dangerous diseases that are ravaging the West African region and the world.
Baid, who took a tour around the facility located at the Mogadishu Cantonment said: “I thank the Ministry of Defence and everyone who is part of the Defence Reference Laboratory team.
“My responsibilities are West African and security affairs and about a month ago a representative wanted to come and talk about their programme on research and it was something I know almost nothing about.
“And when they began briefing me and taking about the level of cooperation between the US military and the Nigerian military in the area of medical research, I was really impressed and said I was going to Nigeria soon to see that.
“For us in the security affairs office, when we think about defence and the military cooperation and we really think of countering cooperation counter terrorism, counter insurgency, capacity building, equipment but really this was a little new to me.
“So I was really delighted to have the opportunity to visit here today.
“The level of equipment, and the top qualification for your scientist that work here and the commitment and the highest standards of research are really very impressive.
“As someone who is working in West Africa, you see the scourge of diseases like HIV AIDS, malaria, Tuberculosis, Lassa fever and Ebola which are quite dangerous.
“These are real threats not only to members of the military but also to the citizens of this country and all of the countries in the region.
“So, I would really like to salute all of you for the work that you do and the work that you are doing together because the result frankly is going to end up saving the lives of fellow Nigerian citizens and all over Africa and all over the world and I would be delighted to take the story back.”
In his address on the occasion, the Director of the centre, Brigadier-General Ebie said the DRL, which is the apex military laboratory in Nigeria with state-of-the-art diagnosis/research facilities is charged with the responsibility of carrying out human capacity development in diagnostic/research capability, infectious diseases surveillance, epidemic preparedness/response, operational research and lab monitoring and evaluation.
He said the centre which has 30 highly- qualified medical laboratory scientists with other professionals is poised to be a role model in providing the highest quality medical laboratory diagnostic and clinical research services not only in Nigeria but in the West African sub region.
He solicited the assistance of the US government in the area of funding for research projects even as he commended them for always supporting the centre.