… Says Co-Discoverer of HIV, Prof Robert Gallo, will grace launch in Abuja

By Chioma Obinna

The Chief Executive of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, Dr. Patrick Dakum has said that the launch of the state-of-the-art multi-campus of excellence in public healthcare, treatment training, and research in Abuja next week will revolutionise the fight against emerging infectious and non-infectious diseases in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Dakum also announced that the campus launch, which is expected to bring quality health services within the reach of millions of Nigerians, will be graced by Professor Robert Gallo, the globally acclaimed Co- discoverer of HIV among other dignitaries.

The IHVN Campus is a combination of leasable office buildings, clinical laboratories for diagnosis, research, and training, functional clinic spaces for patient care and clinical trials, bio-specimen repositories for storage and management of bio-specimens, multi-media lecture auditoriums and meeting rooms and offices.

The event which will hold on June 6, 2023, will be preceded by a scientific seminar on addressing local health challenges through quality research and partnership.

The seminar will bring together key scientists and public-private stakeholders in the health sector with Professor Robert Gallo, Director, Institute of Human Virology, Baltimore USA; Professor Alash’le Abimiku, Executive Director, International Research Centre of Excellence, IRCE, and Dr. Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa, Director General of Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC,  as the main speakers.

As an internationally recognised local and non-profit organisation, IHVN is structured to develop and maintain linkages with other local and international organizations, in collaborative ways that support the Government of Nigeria’s health sector strategic plans. IHVN focuses on preventing, treating, and managing diseases such as HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, COVID-19, Cancer, and other infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria, Dr Patrick Dakum, said the commissioning of the IHVN Campus demonstrates the Institute’s commitment as a leader in providing health service implementation, capacity building, research and ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services through innovative and evidence-based strategies.

Dakum also stated that with its two centres now on campus: the Program Implementation Centre (PIC) and the International Research Centre of Excellence, the Institute will continue to develop training and expertise for the sustainability of HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Cancer programmes.