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To enhance surveillance and response to acute febrile illness in Nigeria, the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) has hosted a collaborative meeting with the Nigeria Centers for Disease Control (NCDC), US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), representatives from the Federal and State Ministry of Health, health care workers and other stakeholders.

The two-day meeting in Abuja reviewed the progress of the Acute Febrile Illness Surveillance (AFIS) Project. The AFIS project commenced in 2022 to determine the cause of AFI among different age groups and strengthen the epidemiological and laboratory capacity of the country to address acute febrile illness.

At the meeting, the Executive Director of the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) Prof. Alash’le Abimiku, highlighted the essential role of collaboration in advancing Nigeria’s healthcare system. She reaffirmed the commitment of all partners to support the Nigerian government in implementation of the project as it transitions to NCDC and the State Ministry of Health for sustainability.

“One of the lessons that we have learned from the project is that we are aware of the diseases that are circulating in our population. As we survey our population, we know which region is affected so that NCDC responds to diseases in good time,”

Prof. Abimiku added that the groundwork laid through these partnerships would facilitate a smooth transition of the AFIS project.  “The success of this transition—and of our broader surveillance efforts—depends on each of us,”

The AFIS Transition Workshop also featured remarks from Programme Director of the Division of Global Health Protection at the US CDC, Dr. Farah Husain who noted that the transition meeting “marks the culmination of two years of hard work and the beginning of the next phase of our partnership in this vital initiative.”

She emphasized the importance of acute febrile illness surveillance as a key component of overall public health efforts, noting that fever, a common symptom of various infections, is often misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated, contributing to drug resistance and increased morbidity and mortality.

 “AFI surveillance with laboratory confirmation can help us better understand circulating pathogens and respond to emerging and re-emerging disease threats. Setting up a robust AFI surveillance system takes time, but its success will be measured by its ability to quickly detect and reduce the spread of disease within Nigeria, across its borders, and enhance global health protection.”

Director General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, who was represented by the NCDC Director, Special Duties, Dr. John Oladejo said that the meeting is the beginning of a new chapter in surveillance efforts.

“This transition is not merely a handover of responsibilities but rather an opportunity to identify and address concerns, recalibrate our strategies, integrate new insights and ensure our surveillance systems are robust, responsive and adaptable to the everchanging landscape of febrile illnesses,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), Dr. Patrick Dakum has stressed the need for funding cancer research to address the disease in Nigeria. Dr. Dakum said this during the just concluded International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) 2nd Annual Scientific Symposium in Abuja.

“We are learning that to get a drug to treat most cancers, you must invest between 100 to 1 billion dollars over years. This is an investment in research alone, not yet in providing care and treatment for people. Nigeria needs to put money into solving local problems with local solutions. We are still grappling with ensuring that the person who needs malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV treatment gets it and 80% of that is still paid for from outside the country,” Dr Dakum said.

He said that many factors have led to poor treatment for cancer patients such as lack of skilled human resources and early retirement of more experienced physicians due to the retirement age.

“You don’t allow experienced people to leave, you ensure that the mentoring they have started with younger people is continued. For us at IHVN, this symposium is an opportunity for experience sharing, not just with experts from within Nigeria but with those from other countries like the United States.

We see an improved collaboration between scientists from the University of Maryland and Nigerian scientists, which is a win-win. They will tell you that they are not just here to teach but also to learn from local scientists. With experience sharing across all levels, we can look forward to better implementation and utilization of existing resources and structures to care for both infectious and non-infectious diseases,” the CEO said. 

Also at the symposium, Prof. King-David Terna Yawe, a breast surgeon and surgical oncologist, said that the incidence of cancers in the country is alarming and requires finances.

“It is right that the government has set up the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment  (NICRAT). It is also important to back up that body with the facilities to work and there has to be a good contribution from the government, from the non-governmental sector, from the industry and so on. Cancer is everybody’s business. One of the challenges that our generation faces is that as we try to conquer infectious diseases, we are opening the room for non-communicable diseases to take over and the statistics of the increasing incidence of cancer. Out of every ten people, one of them will come down with cancer. That means that we have to prepare for tomorrow,” he said. The IRCE 2nd Annual Scientific Symposium which held at the IHVN Campus in Abuja, attracted both local and international experts on sickle cell and cancers to discuss the theme, “Expanding Partnerships to Sickle Cell Disease and Cancer Research.”