The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NSCDC) has pledged to strengthen collaboration with the Kano Independent Research Centre Trust(KIRCT) to boost disease prevention, enhance public health research and build local scientific capacity.
NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this during a technical visit to the KIRCT in Kano, where he said the partnership would improve Nigeria’s preparedness for disease outbreaks and strengthen the country’s health security.
Key Highlights:
- NCDC pledged stronger collaboration with KIRCT.
- The partnership aims to improve disease prevention.
- It will boost local research and scientific capacity.
- NCDC called for greater use of Nigerian scientists.
- KIRCT welcomed the proposed collaboration.
- Both bodies will support joint research and training.
Idris said the agency was expanding collaboration with research institutions and state governments to improve disease surveillance and prevent outbreaks.
He stressed the need to harness the expertise of Nigerian scientists to drive research locally instead of relying on foreign institutions.
“Our plan for collaboration needs to be fast-tracked because we have many scientists across the country. We need to pull them together and encourage them to do work that was hitherto done by people outside Nigeria. It is time we built our local capacity and showcase it,” he said.
The NCDC boss commended KIRCT for its modern research facilities and skilled workforce, describing the centre as an organised institution with committed personnel.
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He assured that both organisations would collaborate in research, exchange scientific materials, undertake joint training and support evidence-based public health decision-making.
Earlier, the Director-General of KIRCT, Prof. Hamisu Salihu, welcomed the NCDC delegation and expressed optimism that the visit would strengthen collaboration between the two institutions.
Salihu said although the centre already works closely with the Kano State public health system, stronger collaboration with the NCDC was critical, particularly in the handling of bio-specimens and research involving highly infectious diseases.
According to him, as Nigeria’s lead agency for health security, the NCDC plays a crucial role in granting the necessary approvals for research involving deadly pathogens, making closer collaboration essential to advancing local scientific research.
