By VICTORIA OJEME

Federal government in collaboration with the United States government recently commissioned a training centre to build human capacity in the areas of surveillance, investigation and provision of care.

The centre, known as the National Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programmes (FELTPs) is established to ensure effective prevention and control of epidemics and other priority health problems on the continent.

Minister of Health, Prof Oyebuchi Chukwu while commissioning the facility in Abuja,  said it will provide training to ensure prompt action during disease outbreaks as well as facilitate effective surveillance, which he stressed is the brain of any health system.

He said a lot of achievement can be traced to the Centre, adding that the training would go a long way to prevent numerous deaths, such as from Lassa Fever and Lead poisoning saga that besieged the country recently.

Dr. Patrick Nguku of African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), disclosed that Nigeria is the first country to implement a field epidemiology that brings veterinarians and other professional to address diseases that cut cross humans and animals called zoonosis.

Nguku said employees of Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Health will have their two-weeks or two-year training on how to improve outbreak response from diseases like meningitis and lead poisoning at the facility.

AFENET is umbrella body for all epidemiology and laboratory training programmes in Africa.