Prepare ahead for future pandemic, Ebonyi varsity VC charges Nigerian govts

The Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Professor Jesse Uneke, has called on Nigerian Government to prepare ahead to tackle future emerging and re-emerging infections.

According to the VC, lack of cohesiveness, inter professional collaboration and training was the cause of COVID 19 effects which crumbled the health systems and tore the socio-economic lives .

Prof Uneke disclosed this during the 4th International Public Health Conference of the Association for Public Health Teaching, Research and Service(APHTReS).

The event tagged “Public Teaching, Research and Service in Africa in a Post-Pandemic Era” was attended by health practitioners, researchers and others.

Uneke then urged the government to consolidate on the lessons from the Convid-19 pandemic to make the future better for Nigerians, Africans and the world through innovations and research.

He, however, called for a paradigm shift and radical change of mindset from where public health, teaching, research and services work in silos to return to the era where public health teaching and research are translated into implementable policies to improve population health.

“The devastating effects of COVID 19 which crumbled our health systems, tore our socio-economic lives apart were possible because of lack of cohesiveness and inter professional collaboration and training which is the need of the time.

“Public Health is so broad, dynamic, cuts across all aspects of human endeavour and adopts anything that has a system while creating systems where it doesn’t exist at all for the benefit of mankind and population health.

“COVID 19 is no more an emergency of public health concern, but other emerging and re-emerging infections will soon knock on our doors, and we only need to consolidate on the lessons from the pandemic to make future better for Africa through innovations and research which is the pride and the twin pillars upon which David Umahi University of Health Sciences sits.

“The university which started as a dream and burden to fill the lacunae existing in training all round health workforce in the country and beyond was envisioned by the former Governor of Ebonyi State and the present Hon. Minister of Work, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Apostle Engr. David Nweze Umahi FNSE and became a reality about 3 years ago.

“The university which is dedicated to changing the face of medical and health training in Nigeria has attained many milestones within the short time it has existed and one of it is the hosting of the 4th International Public Health Conference which is the first of its kind among the universities in Southeast Nigeria.

“Welcome to the university of renewed hope for medical and health education in Nigeria with an ebullient drive of producing health professionals with cutting edge skills to meet the innovational and technological need of the 21st century medical and health market. Our vision is to achieve the highest form of quality manpower development for healthcare and other service delivery for all persons irrespective of gender, race, religion, and socio-economic status.

“The distinctive features of the university rests on the twin pivot of research and innovation. It is therefore not a coincidence that we are hosting this year’s conference with the theme Public Health Teaching, Research and Services in a Post-Pandemic Era” which is the need of the time”, he stated.

Stating the objectives of the program, Chairman of the association, Professor Godwin Ajah, said the goal was to promote excellence and best practices in Public Health Teaching, Research and Services across institutions offering programmes in Public Health.

According to him, COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the foundation of Public Health Teaching, Research and Service.

He then called on the Nigerian Government and the leaders of the world to prepare for a future pandemic.

“In this conference, we want to interrogate how COVID-19 has impacted Research, Teaching and Service and see how we can navigate through future pandemic because we don’t know what is coming next.

“We have learnt a lot and I think that if we have to confront another pandemic, we are likely to do things differently”, he stated.

Other key speakers of the event include; Dr. Uba Nwose, School of Health and Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia and Novena University, Nigeria; Dr Daniel Umezurike, Consultant General Surgeon, Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki; Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Technical officer, Health Workforce Department World Health Organization Geneva, Switzerland; and Professor William Brieger, Department of international Health and John’s Hopkins.