By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA, Lagos
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday, performed the ground breaking ceremony of the State’s Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI).
The four-floor IDRI is located within the premises of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba.
The institute is being established to advance knowledge, research and evidence-based information on the identification, prevention, control and effective management of communicable and infectious diseases.
It will accommodate five major facilities including Research Laboratories, Genomics and Reference, Clinics; Teaching rooms, Administrative Offices and Conference Rooms.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu explained that the proposed establishment and construction of the institute became necessary with the outbreak of Ebola within the Africa sub-region and the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic which ravaged the world.
He said: “It gives me great pleasure to be here to break the ground for commencement of the construction of the Lagos State Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) at Mainland Hospital, Yaba which will further consolidates our administration’s effort to the provision and development of healthcare infrastructure in the state.
“The construction of the proposed Infectious Disease Research Institute became necessary in the year 2014 with the outbreak of the Ebola virus within this African sub region. The emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic brought about the turnaround to actualize the dream of the institute”.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederick Oladeinde noted that the development of the institute, which he termed a critical medical infrastructure, will go a long way in ensuring rapid response and diagnosis to emerging pathogens, especially at the beginning of an outbreak when quarantine, treatment, and other public health measures are most effective.
Underscoring the importance of research to prevention, control and effective management of disease outbreak, the Governor explained that academic research globally has impacted tremendously the provision of scientific and evidence based information and advice on the identification, control and outbreak management of communicable diseases in the 21st Century.
“The role being played by academic research in the improvement of healthcare delivery has necessitated the need for the state to integrate research centers and institutes into the Lagos State Health Master plan. It is hoped that this would facilitate continued learning, and promote national and international medical collaboration”, He said.
Sanwo-Olu while noting that Lagos State has a research agenda, explained that his administration has been doing a lot with regards to research on infectious diseases particularly outbreak response and intervention in dealing with pathogens of high consequence, biosecurity threats and pandemic. He noted that the IDRI will facilitate continued learning and promote national and international medical collaboration adding that
“It is popular knowledge that intervention driven by research should happen before the outbreak of infectious disease and not during an outbreak so as to have a clear research understanding and purposeful response and intervention strategies against any outbreak”, the Governor said.
He said his administration will not rest on its oars and will continue to work tirelessly in ensuring that Lagos becomes a world class research center and a model of access to quality, efficient, equitable and sustainable health service in the world.
“This Institute will provide a platform for experts to review evidence-based information and advice on the identification, prevention, control and outbreak management of communicable diseases as well as providing feedback for addressing emerging issues of concern”, he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye explained that the establishment IDRI is targeted at building the infectious disease research capacity within the state in preparation for health emergencies that may occur in future by providing evidence based information on the identification and control of pathogens of high consequence.
Dr Ogboye explained further that the proposed facility; a four floors building sitting on a total of 5,600sqm land space with each floor area being 1,400sqm in measurement, would have an array of services offered on its campus to facilitate learning and innovations.
He noted that the concept designs of the edifice will incorporate eco-friendly designs, with a heavy focus on biosecurity principles that will enable Lagos State to be fully equipped and increase its resilience at all levels to diminish the impact of future diseases that may emerge.
“What we are trying to do now is to stay ahead of the curve by developing this infection disease research institute so that we can be ready for the next agent that may come at any time. We are going to be building capacity of our laboratory workers and our medical practitioners in state so that whenever another epidemic comes we will be ready”, He said
Also speaking, the Medical Director, Mainland Hospital Yaba, Dr. Abimbola Bowale noted that the bedrock of any health system is research and innovation, adding that the IDRI which is solely dedicated to research will help the Lagos State health system prepare for outbreaks epidemics in the future.
“We have trained manpower and infrastructure, and then, what we have done today is part of ensuring that we have robust infrastructure to be able to respond to outbreak” he said.
In her remarks, the General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), Ms Adenike Adekanbi explained that LASIAMA has been at the forefront of medical and infectious disease infrastructure management since the beginning of the present administration.
She said the involvement of LASIAMA in the IDRI project is in continuation of the function of her agency to manage the State infrastructure assets, stressing that she and her team are excited to be part of the IDRI project.
In attendance at the event were; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour and Industrial Relations, Mr. Babatunde Williams; Some members of the Body of Permanent Secretaries; including Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mrs Sukanmi Oyegbola; Permanent Secretary, Office of the State Auditor General, Mr. Adewuyi Adewale; Vice Chairman of the Governing Council on Biosecurity and Bio-Banking; Prof. Akin Osibogun and other members of the Council; the Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe, HRM Oba Owolabi Adeyemi Adeniyi; Director, Health Care Planning Research and Statistics, Dr. Dayo Lajide; Members of the League of Medical Directors of State-owned Hospitals amongst others.
