WHO, Lagos commissioner urge Nigerians to prepare for future pandemic

The Country Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Walter Kazadi-Mulombo and Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi have urged Lagos residents and Nigerians to be proactive by preparing resources, infrastructure and policies to mitigate against being caught unawares by the pandemic.

This was revealed, yesterday, in a statement to announce the Eighth African Conference on One Health and Biosecurity slated to hold from November 2 to November 4.

The event is organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Health in partnership with Global Emerging Treatment Consortium (GET), as part of efforts to prepare African countries for future pandemics.

Kazadi-Mulombo said governments and states must prepare so that they are not caught unawares, adding that being proactive would lessen the negative impact of the plague.

He disclosed that a review of activities around COVID-19 revealed many lessons the government should learn. He said prior to COVID-19, Lagos State had experienced a significant biosecurity threat with the Ebola experience.

“Lagos State government recognises the need to do something against the future threat, with the Ebola case. Lagos is very vulnerable, as it receives from different ports, air, land and sea passengers, aside from its huge population nearing 30 million. So, any contagious disease that enters the state spreads rapidly fast.”

Chief Operating Officer, of Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium, Ayodotun Bobadoye, said the conference was organised in different cities across Africa, and not less than 400 participants from 31 countries were expected for this year.