Bÿ George Mgbeleke
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s livestock sector have called for the integration of private veterinary laboratories into the national surveillance system to improve data collection and early detection.

They identified poor reporting and fragmented data as major threats to animal disease control in the country.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on strengthening Nigeria’s veterinary laboratory network in Abuja, the participants said collaboration among federal, state, local government and private laboratories was critical to building a robust surveillance system.

Director of Infectious and Transboundary Animal Diseases at NVRI, Professor Clement Meseko, said no single institution can achieve effective surveillance alone.

“It’s very interesting that we are discussing veterinary laboratory network, particularly collaboration between government laboratories, national laboratories, state laboratories, and more importantly, the private laboratory,” he said.

Meseko explained that private labs are closer to farmers and can quickly collect samples and report suspected outbreaks.

“For instance, if there is an indication of an infectious disease in a poultry farm, the private lab is closer and can send samples to state labs before it gets to the national reference lab,” he said.

Meseko urged government to strengthen and incentivise private laboratories to encourage participation, saying “there will be benefit to them in the number of diseases they analyse, and benefit to government because we will have access to wider data.”

Country Manager of GALVmed Nigeria, Moses Arokoyo, said the biggest gap in the system is lack of data integration.
“So what we have seen as a gap is the fact that there is no integration of data. If an event is not recorded, it means it didn’t happen,” he said.

Arokoyo said harmonising data from public and private labs would help Nigeria identify patterns and prepare for outbreaks.

“Outbreaks don’t just happen. There is a pattern over time. Once that pattern is established, we are better prepared,” he noted.

He said GALVmed is supporting the effort through the National Animal Disease Information Service, NADIS.
“The summary is GALVmed wants Nigeria to have robust data. The missing link is reporting. The reporting system is very poor,” he added.

President of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Matthew Adamu, called for investment in laboratory infrastructure at state and local government levels.
“We need the veterinary teaching hospitals to be well equipped. We want the states’ laboratories to be well equipped. Personnel should be trained and retrained,” he said.

Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Anzaku, represented by Dr. Adeniyi Adedoyin, said under-reporting has persisted for 10 years despite the Animal Disease Control Act.

“Why do we have teaching hospitals and different labs generating data, and everybody keeps to their own data? Without a paradigm shift, we will not achieve results,” he said.

Director General of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Dr. Onallo Akpa, also called for more investment in research to tackle Newcastle Disease and other endemic poultry diseases.

Stakeholders concluded that an integrated network of public and private labs would improve surveillance, support early detection and strengthen Nigeria’s livestock health system.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Sixteen offshore post-graduate scholarship students of the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated with master’s degrees from their various universities, with four earning distinction.

The graduates majored in programmes such as software engineering, oil & gas, data science & engineering, financial management, law, construction engineering management, global public health, among others.

The four with distinction include, Nina Orubebe (financial management) Tonbra Tonlagha (international hospitality and tourism), Kemien Egbekun (law) and Simon Douye (construction engineering management).

Already, the successful scholars have participated in the graduation ceremonies of their various institutions in the United States of America and the United Kingdom, including Carnegie Mellon University, Coventry University, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Dundee, Anglia Ruskin University, University of Bedfordshire, Aston University, University of Cambridge, University of South Wales and Northumbria University, among others.

The PAP, under the leadership of the Administrator, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, has produced 111 master’s and doctoral degree holders- 57 from universities outside Nigeria and 54 from institutions within the country- since he assumed office in March 2024.

Speaking on the development, Dr Otuaro commended the successful scholars for taking their studies seriously and completing their programmes within schedule, noting that they have added to the human resource base the PAP is building for the Niger Delta.

Dr Otuaro expressed gladness that PAP scholarship students deployed within and outside Nigeria have been justifying the Federal Government’s investment in their education.

He reiterated that his large-scale deployments of scholarships align with President Bola Tinubu’s plan to close the region’s human capital development gap through his Renewed Hope Agenda.

Dr Otuaro said he is not distracted by the frivolous smear campaigns orchestrated by his detractors and blackmailers, who are not happy over the expansion of the scholarship scheme for greater access to tertiary education for Niger Deltans.

He said he is rather encouraged by the magnanimity and backing of President Tinubu who approved an upward review of the agency’s budget, emphasizing that the presidential gesture came with a mandate to increase scholarships to secure the region’s peace and future generations.

The PAP boss said, “Our decision to expand the scholarship scheme is anchored on the massive support and strong desire of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bridge the region’s human capital development gap under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We will not succumb to the frivolous activities of mischief makers and detractors because many of them are not happy that we have increased educational scholarship chances for poor Niger Deltans based on the mandate of the President.

“This new set of 16 successful overseas post-graduate students sponsored by the PAP has reinforced the Federal Government’s investment in the Niger Delta youths’ education to enhance sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement in the region.

“We will continue to deliver on President Tinubu’s mandate for the Niger Delta. No amount of blackmail and campaigns of calumny will deter us because the president and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, are delighted at what we are doing.”

He expressed appreciation to President Tinubu and the NSA, noting that they are laying a solid foundation for the peace, stability, and shared prosperity of the region.

Dr Otuaro has deployed about 9,000 scholarships for undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in Nigerian universities, and 247 for higher degrees in offshore universities.

By Our Correspondent

A state-of-the-art physiotherapy and rehabilitation centre equipped with advanced treatment technology has been inaugurated in Abuja on Monday, with its promoters saying the facility will expand access to specialised care, reduce dependence on medical tourism and support efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Commissioning the facility, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Mera, said the investment would improve access to quality physiotherapy and rehabilitation, enabling more Nigerians to receive specialised treatment locally instead of travelling abroad.

Speaking after touring the centre, the traditional ruler said the clinic houses equipment comparable to what many Nigerians travel overseas to access.

“Alhamdulillah, glory be to God. I’ve been around the clinic and what I saw is really pleasing. Most of what we see and experience when we go outside for treatments like this is here now and I believe this will go a long way in providing cheaper and warmer care to Nigerians from all walks of life.

“The proprietor mentioned he’s doing this with the intention of supporting and helping every Nigerian get access to recover from a stroke, pain or whatever they suffer from as easily and cheaply as possible, and the care they provide here is one that is very difficult to access outside.

“Some people cannot even walk, some cannot stand. It takes a long time to get permission to travel from embassies and also from the airlines. Having a centre like this in Abuja and hopefully closer to our states is a wonderful opportunity for all Nigerians.

“I’m really happy with what I saw and I believe we are turning the page for all Nigerians to receive the care we need within the shortest time and at the cheapest possible rates.”

Registrar of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria, Prof. Ahmad Alkali, said the facility would complement ongoing government efforts to bridge gaps in physiotherapy and rehabilitation across the country.

He disclosed that Nigeria recently completed a national assessment under the World Health Organisation’s Rehabilitation 2030 programme, which revealed significant deficiencies in service delivery.

According to him, the Federal Government is expanding access to rehabilitation by integrating the services into primary healthcare while strengthening secondary and tertiary health facilities.

“Nigeria has just completed the process of situation assessment and what was found was that there’s a very huge gap in service delivery.

“The government is doing its best to expand the services by increasing the number of secondary and tertiary hospitals and also implementing the integration of rehabilitation into primary healthcare, which is going to help identify people at the grassroots who need those services and refer them to secondary and tertiary facilities.

“But because the number is huge, the public facilities alone will not be able to cater for everyone. Therefore, this centre is going to complement what government has done in providing services when people come to the secondary and tertiary levels of care. So this is a very wonderful development.

“We appreciate what has been done because what has been invested here, if invested in other businesses, could probably have produced double or triple the profit. But investing in health means the person has humanity in mind and that’s very commendable.”

Founder and Managing Director of NOHSONIC Physiotherapy Clinic, Dr. Kingsley Nwankwo, said the project was established to enable Nigerians access world-class physiotherapy and rehabilitation without travelling overseas.

He said inadequate access to modern equipment has remained a major challenge despite the availability of skilled physiotherapists in the country.

“NOHSONIC is something that I’m passionate about. It’s a dream that I’ve lived for years and to the glory of God it’s coming to fruition now.

“Every day of my life I meet people with one disability or another and it gives us concern—not because of lack of expertise, but because of inadequate equipment and limited options for improving recovery.

“We thought, why not bring this equipment into Nigeria? We can rehabilitate patients comfortably here.

“People suffer spinal injuries, disc problems and different kinds of pain. Instead of losing billions annually through medical tourism for services that can be provided here, let’s bring them home.”

Nwankwo also expressed concern over the migration of Nigerian physiotherapists, attributing the trend partly to limited access to modern technology.

“Nigeria is producing lots of physiotherapists. Most of them are leaving the country probably because of inadequate equipment, and we’re almost running short of manpower.

“If we have this equipment here, we’re going to attract more colleagues to stay back, learn these technologies, improve their practice and ultimately give the best care to patients.

“The most important thing to us is patients, and NOHSONIC is open to every class of patient.”

He said the centre houses nearly 100 specialised rehabilitation machines, including advanced laser therapy systems, electric traction beds, electronic tilt tables and other equipment for managing chronic pain, neurological disorders, stroke recovery and orthopaedic injuries.

According to him, affordability remains central to the clinic’s operations.

“NOHSONIC is open to every class of Nigerians and even non-Nigerians. We are affordable.

“Every treatment room is independently equipped to serve its purpose. We are well prepared and open to receive patients.”

Nwankwo added that the organisation would provide discounted treatment for its first 50 registered patients, organise periodic wellness outreach for senior citizens and implement injury-prevention programmes for young people as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.

He said the initiative reflects the organisation’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery while discouraging the growing reliance on medical tourism for specialised physiotherapy services.

The facility is expected to complement ongoing government efforts to expand rehabilitation services, improve access to specialised physiotherapy, retain skilled professionals and reduce the growing reliance on overseas treatment among Nigerians requiring advanced rehabilitation care.