By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA –THE Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has said it would introduce wastewater and environmental surveillance to track SARS-CoV-2, antimicrobial resistance, Mpox, and typhoid, respectively.

This followed the recent declaration by the World Health Organisation, WHO, that COVID-19 is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern,PHEIC.

SARS-CoV-2 is said to be the virus that causes a respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). It is a member of a large family of viruses called coronaviruses.

In a statement he signed on Sunday in response to the WHO’s pronouncement, the NCDC Director General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, said his agency was working in collaboration with some partners in piloting pan-respiratory virus surveillance.

He explained that the initiative was aligned with the WHO’s recently declared Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats, PRET initiative.

He said ,”Nigeria had already de-escalated its COVID-19 response since 2022 in response to local epidemiology, focused on encouraging COVID-19 vaccination and recommended discretionary use of face masks and other public health safety measures according to personal risk assessments.”

“This continues to be complemented by efforts to leverage the pandemic response (lessons, resources, partnerships, etc) to improve our national health security through health system strengthening, improving public health emergency management training, laboratory and infrastructural upgrades and strategic focus on improving emergency preparedness and planning at State and Local Government levels.

“As part of its integrated disease surveillance strategy, the NCDC continues to encourage routine COVID-19 testing along with other infectious diseases as may be indicated in healthcare settings as part of clinical care, for pandemic flu preparedness, as part of bi-directional testing during investigations for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and in high-risk populations.

“Working with partners, the NCDC is also piloting pan-respiratory virus surveillance which is aligned with the WHO’s recently declared preparedness and resilience for emerging threats (PRET) initiative.

“As part of our genomic surveillance, we will introduce wastewater/environmental surveillance to track not just SARS-CoV-2 but antimicrobial resistance, Mpox, and typhoid (salmonella).

“We continue to work on consolidating COVID-19 pandemic laboratory investments into a cohesive tiered national network of public health laboratories as prescribed in the NCDC Act (2018).

With the continued emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases, our frequent and often concurrent disease outbreaks, and public health investments made during the pandemic to ensure health security in the country will need to be sustained,”he said.

Recall that on May 5, 2023, the Director General of the World Health Organisation ,WHO,Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus declared that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern,PHEIC.

The declaration was made after a careful review of current evidence that shows there is high population-level immunity from the SARS-CoV-2 infection, improved knowledge of the virus and management of confirmed COVID-19 cases, a decline in the global burden of the virus, and also a steady increase in vaccine uptake across countries.

The declaration that COVID-19 is no longer PHEIC is to enable countries’ transition from acute emergency response to managing COVID-19 as part of integrated healthcare delivery for all infectious diseases.

The threat of the virus remains within countries and globally and particularly for high-risk groups.

As transmission continues within communities, the risk of new variants emerging and resulting in surges in case numbers and even deaths remains.