Health Security Focus of Tinubu’s Govt – Health Minister
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has said that health security is one of the pillars of the strategic blueprint of President Bola Tinubu’s government.
He said the federal government is also building capacity to diagnose emerging public health threats and also diagnose and map out interventions that will prevent them from spilling over.
Professor Ali Pate, who spoke at the valedictory programme and the 70th birthday of former Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, said the federal government was focused on enhancing the health security of Nigeria.
He said Nigeria will also not be left behind in assessing safe and efficacious new vaccines being introduced all over the world to ensure that Nigerians are also protected from diseases that can cause loss of life.
In a lecture entitled “African Response to Emerging Public Health Threats: Lessons Learned from EBOVAC and HPV Vaccine Trials,” Professor Deborah Watson-Jones from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom said that trials on a single-dose HPV vaccine showed that it was effective in preventing HPV infection and its sequelae.
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According to her, the benefits of single-dose HPV vaccine regimens are many, including reduced vaccine costs, increased introduction and sustainability of HPV vaccination programmes, and multi-age cohort delivery.
“There are three vaccines that were tested. They all have very high efficacy for the prevention of persistent HPV infection with HPV 16 and 18. This is a really high efficiency for a new vaccine. It was 97% effective to 98.8% effective for HPV, 16 and 18.
“The vaccine provides cost protection against HPV 31 and 45. It is again a very good vaccine for males. It will prevent anal infection with HPV, including anal warts, anal cancer, and cancer of the head and neck.”
The Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, represented by Deputy Vice-Chacellor, Research, Innovation, and Strategic Partnerships, Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, described the celebrant as a national figure who distinguished himself as a role model for excellence in academics and public healthcare delivery.
In a virtual address, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Barrister Boss Mustapha, said Professor Adewole has had a great impact on Nigeria’s health system and described him as a beacon of dedication and excellence in public healthcare delivery in Nigeria and around the world.
