WHO Team Visits UNIOSUN, to Support Nigeria’s Genomics Surveillance 

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

A team from the World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday, paid a visit to Osun State University (UNIOSUN) in its bid to support Nigeria’s Genomics surveillance. 

Speaking during the visit to the institution, the Team Lead and Chief Molecular Bioengineer at the National Reference Laboratory, Dr. Nnaemeka Ndodo, said that the team was in the school to look at how they could collaborate with the school Molecular Diagnosis Center.

Ndodi said: “We are leading a WHO team on mission to Nigeria to support our genomics surveillance and to see how to strengthen our genomics surveillance and to also look at the laboratories. 

“University of Osun has a Molecular Diagnosis Center that was very useful in the pandemic. So we needed to look at it too so that we can see their processes, area of collaboration, where to guide and also share experiences with other places with them”.

Speaking after visiting the institution’s laboratories, Ndodo applauded the school management with a promise that The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), would be willing to collaborate with the school.

“It is such an amazing university. My mind is already blown with what they have on ground. This is really awesome. I can see vision in operation and people who has clear idea of what they want. 

“We are always looking for areas to collaborate. The Director General of the NCDC has always been passionate about advancing genomics. He has been talking a lot about it and I know that NCDC has been in the forefront of supporting all the sub national entities in response like no other agency have been able to do. So we continue to support and continue to provide as much as possible to make sure we protect the health of the Nation.”