Infectious Disease Outbreaks

The Federal Government on Friday inaugurated the first Infectious Disease Centre (IDC), in the Federal Capital Territory, and handed it over to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH). Speaking at the inauguration of the 40-bed centre in Gwagwalada, Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said that the centre would improve Nigeria’s capacity to respond to all infectious diseases. “With laboratory testing and case management in one location, there is a much shorter time between sample collection and infection confirmation. ”This will ensures early initiation of treatment and thus mitigate mortality during infectious disease outbreaks. “I am very proud that today, we now have an international standard centre where we can manage highly pathogenic infectious disease cases, i...